The Vikings competed in their first postseason game on Tuesday, October 17, against Bishop Hartley. The girls started the contest strong, pocketing four goals in the first quarter. Katie V. kicked off the team’s scoring streak with two goals in the seventh minute of play. The first was a strong shot in front of the goal, and the second was off a pass from Carson K. Bradyn C. tallied the third goal after tapping in a shot from Lauren G. With three seconds left in the quarter, Carson received the ball off of a clearing pass from Lauren and found the goal. Extending the lead in the second quarter, Bradyn earned another goal off of a pass from Lauren. The defense held strong, shutting down Hartley’s attempts to score. 

Academy maintained its momentum entering the second half. Bebe S. found an opening in the opponent’s defensive line and put the ball in the back of the cage, upping the score 6-0. With her first-ever career goal, Katie J. took a reverse shot, launching the ball from the top of the circle. In the fourth quarter, Lauren made a back-handed pass to Carson who put up the eighth and final point of the night. Goalie Sydney L. stopped Hartley from putting a point on the board, earning a shutout for Academy and a spot in the next round of the tournament. 

In an article published by The Columbus Dispatch on Monday, October 16, Academy player Bebe S. gained recognition as one of the top sophomore athletes in the Columbus area. A top contributor to the team, Bebe, an attacker, scored a whopping 15 goals and four assists during the 2023 regular season. Congratulations, Bebe!

The Maroon and Gray compete at Bishop Watterson in the district semi-finals on Tuesday, October 31.