by Jamie Harris
The Berkeley Springs Lady Indians soccer team is on a roll, punching their ticket to the Class AA-A Region II Championship after two commanding tournament victories that electrified their hometown crowd and showcased their grit, skill, and determination.
In the opening round of regional play, the Lady Indians hosted the Moorefield Yellow Jackets at a roaring Morgan Field. Fueled by fan energy and postseason urgency, Berkeley Springs delivered a dominant 10-0 shutout.
Standout Abigail Close led the offensive onslaught with four goals, while Albani Cirigliano stunned the crowd with a long-range strike from 20 yards out. Additional goals came from Taylor Andrews (assisted by Circe Powell), Reese Souders (assisted by Close), Circe Powell (assisted by Andrews) and Katie Risinger, who netted her first career high school goal on a penalty kick.
Goalkeeper Willow Rhoten was a wall in net, recording six saves and preserving the clean sheet.
The Lady Indians controlled the tempo from the opening whistle, entering halftime with a 3-0 lead. In the second half, they unleashed a flurry of precise passes and clinical finishes, adding seven more goals to seal the emphatic win.
In the regional semifinal on Saturday at Morgan Field, Berkeley Springs faced a tougher test against the #3 seed Pocahontas County Warriors. With a trip to the championship on the line, the Lady Indians leaned on their defense and composure to grind out a 1-0 victory.
The lone goal came midway through the second half when Abigail Close capitalized on a scoring opportunity to break the deadlock. From that point on, the Lady Indians shifted into defensive mode, expertly clearing the ball and denying the Warriors any chance to equalize.
Goalkeeper Willow Rhoten was once again sensational, tallying 20 saves and earning another shutout to her growing postseason résumé.
The Lady Indians advanced to the Class AA-A Region II Championship where they faced #1 seed Lincoln High School in Shinnston. The match was scheduled for Tuesday, October 28 at 7 p.m. A win would send Berkeley Springs to the state championship final four, a historic opportunity for this determined squad.
photos by Lori Younker
