LREI and Brooklyn Friends have a long history of matchups that go back even before the two teams played in the same league. They have met as nonleague opponents, annually in the ISAL since 2012, and have even registered multiple playoff meetings. The 2023 fixture is the 19th time the two teams have faced off in all competitions. Brooklyn holds a 9-6-3 advantage in these meetings. It’s a gap LREI have closed in recent years, with the red side of the rivalry going 4-1-1 since 2018. 

At kickoff it was clear that the Panthers were set up to frustrate EI, playing a 5-3-2 and packing the box. The Knights pressed high up the field and created overloads on the left especially, but the final ball was never fully on. On a couple of occasions LREI came close, including an magnificent chance by senior midfielder Alexa Leitner from point blank range. Senior winger Finn Byrne worked especially hard to trap the ball in, using her speed to chase down everything, and combining well with central midfielders. But the opening 25 minute belonged to the Brooklyn goalkeeper. She was quick to high shots and fearless on the ground. She managed a spectacular reflex save on the Leitner chance, shooting a hand up over her left shoulder so fast to deny it that even the crowd had already reacted to what they thought was a certain goal. 

But Brooklyn’s bend-but-don’t-break mentality couldn’t hold out forever. It was senior Cassidy Moskowitz who got the scoring started in the 26th minute. Sophomore winger Tanvi Pawar on the right flank collected a pass and turned her marker inside out to burst into the box. From there she played a cross into traffic that met three Knights crashing the net. The goalkeeper managed to palm the ball away, and several defenders made an attempt to play the ball. But Moskowitz got to it, stumbling backward, and stabbed it home. From there the floodgates opened for LREI. Brooklyn’s resistance had been broken. 

Pawar also created the second goal in a close repeat of her earlier action she got past the left back, this time driving a low ball across the face of the goal. A retreating Panther defender found herself in a poo position, stuck out a leg to try to block the ball, and ended up pushing the ball into her own net. Pawar had free run of the right flank almost the entire time she was on the field, as Brooklyn was too afraid of her speed to play close, but too susceptible to her technical ability to sit off and successfully defend the space. 

Moskowitz would end the game with a hat trick on the day, with the pick of the goals being a terrific header directly from a corner in the 47th. Fellow Senior Sammi Sapira hit a perfect ball just inside the near post and outside the six. Moskowitz stepped out and lept to meet the ball, driving it into the net unopposed. At that point the game was 4-0 and the second half had barely started. Sapira herself capped the scoring late in the game when she took a drop ball from sophomore Iz Oliver on the left corner of the box, opened up onto her right foot, and launched a perfect shot into the far side netting over the outstretched hand of the Brooklyn net minder. 

On the defensive side of the field LREI we’re hardly troubled. Senior centerback Anneke Goudsmit had a steady game, turning away even the most hopeful of forward balls, and sophomore partner for the day Simone Barbosa covered the space in front of her with calm positioning and intelligent tackling. No LREI goalkeeper on the day even faced a shot.

The Knights make a good start to the year in the league with 3 important points and a crucial shut out. Their next game is also in the league, against last season’s 5th place finisher York Prep who will surely be looking to force their way into the playoff picture this season. The game will be held on Randall’s island on Wednesday the 27th.