The Carlmont Scots junior varsity girls soccer team defeated the Hillsdale Knights 4-1 at home on Jan. 22.
Carlmont came out strong offensively, controlling possession early, but Hillsdale struck first with a goal about a quarter into the first half. The Scots responded quickly, as junior Claire Kornberg tied the game 1-1 midway through the half.
The remainder of the first half was intense and full of defensive play, with both teams battling for possession but neither able to find the back of the net.
Carlmont took full control once the second half began, scoring three unanswered goals to secure the win.
“Our second goal really helped with the mindset. After that, it was like go, go, go, boom,” said sophomore Eloise Waight.
Waight played a major role in the victory, scoring Carlmont’s second and fourth goals of the night and leading the offensive push.
“Communication and teamwork were very important because you can’t score without them. I scored because my teammates were completely locked in and paying attention. They gave beautiful balls,” Waight said.
Strong passing and communication were key factors in Carlmont’s success. Head coach Natalia Manzanares was proud of how the team translated practice drills into game execution.
“They really applied what we did in practice yesterday, which was crossing and finishing, and they did that very well. That’s how we scored most of the goals,” Manzanares said.
Another factor contributing to Carlmont’s dominance was strong defense and ball possession. Throughout both halves, the Scots maintained more possession than the Knights.
Carlmont’s speed also made a difference. The Scots’ third goal was scored by junior Anya Srivastava, whose quickness and agility allowed her to beat defenders and capitalize on scoring opportunities.
Defensively, the Scots were solid, with sophomore Louisa Rich-Gayko leading the charge.
“Louisa really stood out and did a great job. Coach Natalia called her out for it,” said freshman Zoe Hardman.
Goalkeeper Kylie Gallagher also had a strong performance, recording multiple saves in each half, including a dramatic diving save more than a quarter into the second half.
“Kylie is amazing, like every game, she does great,” Hardman said.
The match was physical and competitive, but Carlmont’s aggressiveness and organization helped them outplay Hillsdale.
“When we were getting up the field, in the attacking half or our attacking third, we were doing much better communicating and having people for the cross,” Hardman said.
Carlmont’s win was a complete team effort with the offense and defense working together cohesively.
“I felt really appreciative of all my teammates who helped and got us to win,” Waight said.
