On Tuesday, Oct. 13, the girl’s varsity soccer team beat rival Westfield 1-0 with a beautiful goal from sophomore Alexa Fazio in the last three minutes of the game. With this victory, the Raiders improve their record to an impressive 4-0. 
Scotch Plains-Fanwood versus Westfield match-ups are always exciting, and this game was no different. Despite the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, fans from both sides packed the stands of Kehler Stadium, wearing masks and socially distanced, to watch the action unfold. 
“Whenever we play against Westfield, it’s always a more intense game,” Fazio said. “I made sure to go in with confidence, composure, and a winning mentality.” 
The Raiders started off strong, dominating the game for the majority of the first half. 
“I think we came out with so much energy and effort,” senior and captain Corinne Lyght said. “I don’t think we’ve ever worked harder, and I think that really showed in the game because we kept working hard and running down on every ball.”
The Raiders were unable to score during the first half–but sophomore goalie Rebecca Kessler did a great job keeping the ball out of her net. She had a total of seven saves by the end of the game and played a key role in shutting the Blue Devils out.
Going into the second half, the Raiders knew that the next 40 minutes would be crucial–a loss to Westfield was simply not an option. 
With just three minutes remaining, Fazio was able to score the game winning goal off of an assist from Lyght. 
“I knew that we didn’t have much time left in the game and ending in a tie would be disappointing,” Fazio said. ‘When I saw Corinne looking to pass me the ball, I knew I had to capitalize on this opportunity. Seeing the ball hit the back of the net in that moment seemed surreal.” 
The Raiders hope to continue this winning streak as they face off against Summit on Thursday, Oct. 15.
“Everyone on and off the field gave their best effort until the very last minute,” Fazio said. “This goes to show that we are a team that doesn’t stop fighting until the final whistle.”
 
Photo courtesy of Matt Kipp.