The Langley girls’ soccer team demolished Edison on Thursday to continue their impressive undefeated season, now with a record of 4-0-1. (The girls outscored their first four opponents with a combined score of 19-3) In the match against Edison, Langley was up 3-0 by halftime, and ended up adding two more goals by the final whistle.
In the first half, the Saxons bombarded Edison with shots on goal, until senior captain Holliday Shuler finally put it in on an unbelievable shot off of a free kick. Several minutes later on a breakaway, senior captain Cat Macklin scored the second goal of the match for Langley. Finally, right before halftime, senior Rachel Sanson dribbled in from the corner and scored a stunning goal off an angle shot to put Langley up three goals to none just before halftime. At half, Langley had twelve shots on goal to Edison’s two.
In the second half, multiple saves by sophomore keepers Maddie Card and Jessie Lekstutis kept up the shutout for Langley. Several players had the chance to score, including the lone freshman on the team, Ricki Libby. “We were playing really well, as you can see by the score. It was really exciting to get on the field with a such a good team and even get a chance to score,” says Libby. After several chances, the Saxon finally prevailed with yet another goal from Sanson. Her second goal virtually put the match out of reach for Edison. After the clock ran out, the referee kept official time, allowing the chance for a fifth goal. An excellent assist from junior Marly Messina set up the opportunity for junior Bre Della Corna to score the final goal for Langley. At the end of the match, Langley had walloped Edison with a final score of 5-0.
The team’s next game is at Fairfax (5-1) on Apr. 12, and another tough opponent two matches later, Stone Bridge (6-1-2), scheduled for April 24. Although Langley’s schedule will only get more difficult as the season continues, things are certainly looking bright for the Langley girls. Many players agree that this team is even more impressive than in past years.
Senior captain Lizz Gentry says the best thing about this year’s squad is how well they get along. “We also have a lot more teamwork and talent than in past years,” she said. “We have some tough games coming up but I’m confident that we will do well this year.”
Junior midfielder Brittany Gallagher agreed, saying that the girls “have high hopes for this season because in the past we’ve beaten these teams but not by this much. If everyone stays healthy this season should be one of the best we’ve had in a while.”