Games between LREI and Dwight have been back and forth for several seasons now. In 2015 Dwight downed LREI on a late free kick. The teams played twice in 2016, with LREI winning the regular season matchup but losing in the ISAL semis despite being the higher seed and holding a halftime advantage. Last season Dwight scored twice in a short span after the half to open a lead that LREI wouldn’t be able to overcome. The Lions went on to win the ISAL playoff tournament that season. Six minutes into the first game of 2018 LREI found themselves a goal down when a Dwight attacker slid between their defenders and finished from close range. Given the youth of the LREI team it would have been easy for the team to struggle from there on out. But within 30 seconds they had leveled the game. Pushing the ball up the left channel, LREI found freshman forward Caia Carlesimo inside the penalty box. Carlesimo muscled her way past her defender into space and took a narrow angled shot which the Dwight keeper spilled to the feet of sophomore winger Lily Parks for the opening goal of the season. It was a sign of the fight the team would display the rest of the game. They took the lead though Carlesimo, finishing herself this time, after sophomore midfielder Sara Katz played an inch perfect ball to her between the center backs. Dwight would level several minute later, but in the 36th and 39th minute Carlesimo would finish her hat trick from good physical play and sharp finishing. For her second goal of the contest she began her run by receiving a ball directly from a goal kick that came to her near midfield. The scoring would be finished off in the 62 minute when the youngest member of the squad, left winger Cassidy Moskowitz, fought between two defenders to clean up a loose ball. Senior defensive midfielder Isabelle Mercado played a crunching game in the middle of the field, clogging up passing lanes and putting in tackles to shut down build up play by Dwight. Senior Monica Quirante and junior Jane Olsen both put in great games, with smart cover play and passing from deep. Rounding out the back four were returning outside back Ana Ziebarth and debutant outside back Leah Maathey, who corralled athletic attackers all afternoon. Maathey would slide to save a certain goal from the goaline late in the game when a corner kick caused confusion in the LREI box. Sophomore goalkeeper Melissa Toledo made also made her first appearance for the Knights, registering 5 saves and being credited with the win. The win is the first 3 points in the ISAL for the Knights in 2018. The team plays next against non-league Avenues on Friday, September 14th at Chelsea Park turf field. They don’t play in the league again until they meet FASNY on September 28th.