The Cave Spring High School girls soccer team was left devastated after a 1-0 defeat in the Class 3 state quarterfinals last year at Bogle Stadium.
Stepping back onto the same field Tuesday night for this year’s quarterfinals, the Knights had redemption on their minds.
Aided by a 29th-minute goal from Scottie Leonard that put it on the board and a dagger in the 75th minute by Grace Kielty, Cave Spring knocked off Waynesboro 2-0 to avenge last season’s quarterfinal loss and reach the state semifinals for the first time in program history.
Cave Spring's Scottie Leonard (left) runs to the ball against Waynesboro's Ava Buckmaster during Tuesday's Class 3 state quarterfinals at Bogle Stadium in Roanoke.
“We didn’t want to walk off this field the way we felt last year, and that was kind of the goal,” Knights second-year head coach Erin Smith said. “When we stepped into the locker room last year that’s what we said; we don’t want to be here this time next year feeling sad, so let’s put in the work and make sure it doesn’t happen.”
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Cave Spring (20-0) will make the trip to Palmyra on Friday to take on two-time defending state champion Brentsville District (15-2-3) for a spot in Saturday’s Class 3 state championship. Brentsville beat York 8-0 in its quarterfinal match and hasn’t allowed a goal in its last four games.
The Knights, meanwhile, have not surrendered a goal in their last eight games and were last scored on over a month ago.
Cave Spring's Lucia Piertravalle (left) battles for possession with Waynesboro's Claire Comfort during Tuesday's Class 3 state quarterfinals at Bogle Stadium in Roanoke.
“I feel like last year we were more freaked out because no one expected us to go that far,” Leonard said. “Now this year we’ve made a name for ourselves, being undefeated, and now we just have momentum going into (the semifinals).”
Leonard notched the first goal of the game on a well-placed corner kick from Addison Daniels to the back post. Leonard headed in the cross between the right post and the goalie.
“I’ve been doing that a lot all season,” Leonard said. “Addison Daniels plays a great ball every time, so does Abby Tozier. I feel like that’s a really good way to score for us. We’re really good out of the air and we just help each other.”
With Lila Mueller in net, Cave Spring held firm defensively for the next 46 minutes, as it allowed only two shots on goal the entire evening.
Cave Spring's Mead Pennylegion heads a free kick toward the net during Tuesday's Class 3 state quarterfinals at Bogle Stadium in Roanoke.
With five minutes remaining, a Knights pass into enemy territory led to a two-on-one attack in the box. Lucia Piertravalle fed a pass to Kielty, who fired a shot into the back of the net to all but seal Cave Spring’s victory.
“They’re trying their best to score, but we held them really well,” Leonard said. “I feel like once we got our first goal, our momentum went completely up. I feel like we were a little frazzled at first, but once we got the first goal, we set in and we just kept going.”
After surpassing last season’s finish by one game, Smith said her team’s determined to keep going and ultimately play for a state championship.
“We just aren’t settling for average this year, and that’s what they’re working for,” she said. “So I’m not worried about the way that they’re going to come out. This is something that we’re super hungry for.”
