MWHS shuts down Pine Bush

On Monday Sept. 15, Monroe-Woodbury High School's Crusaders faced off against the Pine Bush High School Bushmen, seeking revenge for their previous encounter in the Sec. IX Division 1 Championship, where the Bushmen had defeated the Crusaders 1-0.

The Crusaders entered the match with a strong 4-1 record, having recently beaten Valley Central with a score of 4-1. In contrast, the Bushmen came into the game undefeated at 3-0, following a dominant 9-0 victory against Newburgh.

The match began with Pine Bush taking an early lead, scoring from a corner kick just 14 minutes into the game. They maintained the 1-0 advantage through the first half. However, the second half saw a shift in momentum as Monroe-Woodbury took control of the game, dictating the pace and pushing the action into the Bushmen's territory.

The Crusaders equalized with 29 minutes remaining when Kate Allen executed a quick throw-in to Audrey Saliba, who struck a remarkable shot from outside the box, leveling the score at 1-1. Just 10 minutes later, Melanie Ciprian assisted Anna Llewellyn, who maneuvered into the center and fired a shot into the net, giving the Crusaders a 2-1 lead.

With only seven minutes left in the match, Allen again played a crucial role, sending a pass through the middle to Grace Gillette, who scored with a powerful shot into the corner of the net, solidifying the Crusaders' victory at 3-1. This win improved the Crusaders' season record to 6-1.

The team’s next game is scheduled for Wednesday Sept. 17, when they travel to Kingston.