Top-ranked Rye blanks Owego in Class A state girls soccer playoff opener at Chenango Valley
Rye’s girls soccer team extended its win streak to a 15th game by easing past Owego, 4-0 in Wednesday evening’s Class A state playoff opener at Chenango Valley High School.
And never mind that late-game scoreboard glitch that suggested a score of 74-0 favoring the visitors. The contest was indeed wholly one-sided, but not to that extent.
The Garnets took a bit to settle in before striking twice in a 10-minute span of the first half, then tucked this one away by scoring 5½ minutes apart before the second half’s midway juncture.
Newly elevated to a No. 1 Class A ranking by the New York State Sports Writers Association, this Westchester County group would appear to have the makings of a squad with potential to ring up a few more November victories.
Up next
The 19-2 Garnets will oppose Our Lady of Lourdes (14-4), the Section 9 champion from Poughkeepsie, at 5:30 p.m. Saturday in a state quarterfinal at Wallkill High.
Owego wrapped up its season with a 15-2 record.
Rye as advertised
Many first-time observers of the Garnets were made to understand the root of their 2023 success, which has included 14 shutouts in its win streak.
For the vast majority of Wednesday’s competition, it was as if the field was sloping decidedly in Rye’s favor. Time of possession was tilted heavily until the outcome had been decided. Attentiveness at every turn, a precise short passing game and purposeful, crisp movement of bodies – all coupled with an ample cast of skilled athletes – make for a successful system.
“Today we got 26 girls on the pitch, they played really well, we moved the ball around, everybody really contributed,” said Garnets coach Rich Savage. “Our defense locked down, didn’t give them many opportunities. I was proud of the way they played. We were a little sluggish to start but that could be about the long bus trip and waiting all day. But they played stronger the second half, for sure.”
Gradually, the lead grew
The lead that anyone in attendance sensed was coming materialized 15:22 before halftime when Sage Ruttenberg finished on a play that began with a corner kick. Nothing came about on the initial go, but Ruttenberg capitalized on an inviting look from near the top of the box.
Freshman Charlotte Keenan made it 2-0 a smidge over 10 minutes later, utilizing a crafty little skip move to convert off a corner from Bowyn Brown in front of the left post.
A three-goal difference was created when Keenan carried the ball up the right side and, from low on the wing, delivered in the direction of Isabelle Harvey to convert from prime position in front of the near post 10:05 into the second half.
The final goal came with 24:15 remaining, once again Harvey on the finish.
Owego’s final crack at heading off a shutout was thwarted when Rye keeper Tessa Labowitz went belly-to-turf to two-hand smother a steamy shot from top-middle off the shoe of Ashlyn Dalton.
Twelve shots on goal to go with nine corners is what the snow-dampened stat book revealed for Rye. The flipside showed the River Hawks with one shot and one corner.
More: Chenango Valley’s girls hold off Oneonta for another Section 4 soccer championship
More from Rye coach Savage
** Regarding the nuts & bolts behind this fine-and-getting-better season: “I’ve known a lot of these girls since they were in kindergarten, coached them since grade school so we’ve had a pretty long relationship. I think we’re a pretty close-knit team that really supports one another. So even though we have very, very good players, no one player is more important than the other. The last player that gets in off the bench is as important as our first player who may be an all-state player. I think that’s really what makes our team click.”
** Garnets have what it takes to finish the deal? “We’re taking it one obstacle at a time but they have enough heart to do it, hopefully we continue to peak at the right time. We haven’t given up a lot of goals and we’ve scored a lot, hopefully that combination helps us going forward.
“The big thing is we have lots of weapons, so if you mark one player someone else can score. That’s been a big plus for us.”
This article originally appeared on Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin: Rye’s girls soccer win streak stands at 15 following win against Owego
