BY KARIMA ABOUELKHIR, EMMA HEAGEN, AND KAYLEE WEINGARTEN
On October 26, the girls soccer team reigned victorious over the Colonia Patriots in the semifinal round of the Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament. With an ending score of 5-0, the Knights showcased creative plays, unending drive, and composure throughout the match, sending them to the GMC Finals.
Within two minutes of the whistle blowing, sophomore Paige Green set the tone, scoring a goal with an assist from senior captain Nicole Nolan. “We were all trusting our teammates, knowing that we all have each other’s back,” said Nolan.
Sophomore Alexa Pulaski doubled the lead early on by working with her fellow sophomore Sofia Riedinger. “Sofia had a great pass to me. Sofia was able to follow through on a cross because she worked her butt off to get there,” said Pulaski.
Senior Nicole Nolan made a fake out with senior Mackenzy Brennan when Colonia conceded a penalty kick. “It was something that we came up with, and we like running fun plays. It’s something that we do in a lot of games, and it works because it’s something that we can always change up,” said Brennan.
Riedinger scored her own goal with an assist by Pulaski to lock down a 3-0 lead three minutes before halftime, cushioning the Knights going into the second period. “It was just off of a shot. I just had to sprint and follow. I tried my best to get there, and I did,” said Riedinger.
With five minutes remaining in the game, senior Ryleigh Lynch finished the scoring with the Knights’ fifth goal. “‘Look down, don’t miss.’ That’s what I kept saying to myself. I just didn’t want to miss,” said Lynch.
Nolan assisted Lynch’s goal after receiving a pass from Mackenzy Brennan. “It was a good ball by Mackenzy first,” said Nolan, praising her teammate. “Then, all I had to do was the easy work, and Ryleigh finished the job.”
The team relied on their training by coaches Kim Hopping and Justin Meehan to lead them to victory. “They make sure that we’re really ready for the games,” said Nolan. “Especially now, coming to tournament season, we want to make sure that we’re throwing teams off guard and trying new things.”
Despite their previous win against Colonia earlier in the season, the players stayed grounded and focused on advancing to the finals. “It was getting really mentally challenging because they were trying to get in our heads, but I was proud that I didn’t give in to that,” said Brennan.
The Knights will play against Metuchen on October 29 in hopes of winning the 2026 GMC Championship.
Sophomore Sofia Riedinger, who leads the team with 15 goals this season, runs to cut off the ball. 
Sophomore Kaitlyn Kurian fights the Colonia opponent to get control of the ball. 
Senior Arya Patel, who scored the fourth goal of today’s game and five throughout the season, dribbles the ball past her opponent.
Posted at 10:40pm on October 26, 2026
Photos by Karima Abouelkhir and Kaylee Weingarten
