It would not at all be unreasonable to call York Prep the most improved team in the league over the last several seasons. The Panthers of York Prep managed a collective 0 points in 2019 and 2021 (2020 was a year without a season), finishing bottom of the league in both years. Their last league points came in 2018 when they managed one win. But in 2022 York had won 3 games, and finished just outside of the playoffs in the 5th spot. They had a clear fight in their playing style, and talent on the team that would easily fit into a best 11 selection for the league. Despite walking out of the ‘22 fixture with a comfortable win in the end, LREI would have been silly not to recognize the threat in the opponenet. They knew better than to take them lightly coming in this season, especially knowing that York only graduated one senior in this off season, and the ‘23 Panthers are a larger, deeper team. 

But LREI are an experienced side. They are brimming with confidence after dismatling Brooklyn Friends, and feeling like they’re on the ascension after the slow start to the season. 

York were never going to make it easy. And the first minutes of the game the Knights found themselves pushed back. Through the use of deeper balls into the corners York looked to get past LREI on the flanks. There was wide speed on the opposition, but the smart defending of the backline managed to negate it as well as could be expected. York was physical and scrapped for every ball. Central midfield pair Charlie Cunningham and Sammi Sapira sat in deeper to clog up the middle, but were unable to prevent the Panthers from spraying the ball side to side. Outside backs Willa Hoffman and Tsering Sherpa did their best to keep the attackers from cutting in, holding them up until centerback support could arrive. And while the team did have to do it’s defending, there weren’t any credible threats to the LREI goal in those opening minutes. 

Wingers Finn Byrne and Iz Oliver tried to help the team move forward by connecting with the central players when the opportunity came, and it was effective at times. They found themselves able to move into the attacking end in the 9th minute, and won a corner. The delivery by Sapira dropped just inside the near post, and was popped up in the air by a York defender. Oliver, standing outside the frame of the goal, played the ball back across to the far post where Byrne lept up and used her body to force it over the line. The celebrations were instant. The team knew an early goal would be crucial, and the relief showed. After the score the flow of the game was a little more even. The Knights gained confidence from being up and exploiting the space in the York formation, and York took a few more chances as they tried to fight for an equalizer to the early dagger. 

The follow up goal for the Knights came in the 28th minute, when Cassidy Moskowitz was fouled outside the box halfway to the right touchline. She lined up a shot to the back post that just skimmed the goalkeepers outstretched fingers before arching down underneath the crossbar. It was an excellent goal that further added to her history of great freekick tallies during her time in a LREI kit. Moskowitz would hit again just four minutes later from the opposite side on a feed from attacking midfielder Alexa Leitner. Moskowitz took the through ball and gained a step on her defender before firing across her body with her left foot. LREI was up 3-0, and first half goalkeeper Romy Kregsman proved to be a revelation in goal, with several very sure handed catches and a presence in the goalmouth that set any nerves at ease for the defenders in front of her. 

After the break the Knights doubled up the score. Moskowitz hit twoce more, being on the end of a couple of great plays by freshman Sookie Lee. The first was in the 47th minute. Lee took the ball on the left flank, cut inside and delivered a slicing through ball that wrong footed a defender who was turning to try to track the Moskowiz’s run. The forward found herself all alone in front of the net, and slid the ball into the far corner. The second was later on in the 69th minute. A loose pass across the middle was intercepted by Lee in the center circle. Catching the ball on the run she easily slipped past several defenders. Her driving run covered nearly half the field, ending up with her gaining the corner along the left side of the box, dancing along hte baseline, and driving a low ball in front of goal for Moskowitz, who had beat her markier to the near post, to put  home for her fourth of the day. Lee would finish off the scoring for the day with 6 minutes left in the game. Moskowitz would turn provider this time. He pulled her run out towards the right touchline, cut inside and played a ball to Lee. Her first touch turned the centerback, and even a desperate lunge couldn’t knock Lee compeltely off balance. She nimbly regained her footing and slammed the ball into the uinderside of the crossbar and into the net. 

The lone goal that the Knights conseded on the day came with some controversey. A long free kick from LREI’s right side skipped into the box and bounced off the back post before rolling across the goalmouth to strike the opposite post. Second half goalkeeper Sammi Sapira did grab ahold of it, but the referee felt it had crossed the line despite viewing from an angle fairly far out on the field. Despite appeals his ruling stood, and made the score 4-1 at the time. Considering the Knights went on to score two more the result was never in doubt, but they will certianly be hoping the concession of a goal in this game doesn’t come back to haunt them later. 

The Knights now have maximum points from their opening ISAL fixtures. But a top-of-the-table clash with Dwight awaits them on Friday, September 29th. The game will be held at LREI’s home field, Pier 40.