List of 13 news stories.

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  JV Girls' Soccer Team finish the season strong with a big win against New Hampton

  11/9/2024
  Peter Alden
  The KUA girls were greeted with a warm mid-autumn sun and cold, biting wind as they strode onto Grenier Field to begin their final game of the season against the New Hampton Huskies.  They wore their game jerseys over long sleeved black shirts and their faces were dashed with blue paint complimented with sparkles.  In better physical shape than at any other point of the season, these 11 girls got themselves ready with rondos, stretches, and strength drills.  Let's just call this a prequel to 300.  These excited girls came out swinging with no subs at all.  To make matters even more interesting, the Huskies were out to even the score after a 1-3 loss against the Wildcats earlier in the season.  It was hard not to see this as a David vs. Goliath moment considering the difference in number of players between the teams.  As the game got going, the first half had numerous scoring attempts and a strong defensive effort from both teams.  The game remained scoreless until  striker Aiyonna Gay drove to the Husky goal from the left side and buried the ball from 6 yards out with less than 15 minutes to the half.  The lead didn't last as the Huskies came right back with a fast breakaway by forward No. 4 that saw her outrun the KUA defenders to make a hard strike to the right side on goalie West Lee-Ogilbee.  The game remained tied at 1-1 until Aiyonna Gay struck again late in the second half for her 9th goal of the season.   It was a spectacular break away that displayed Aiyonna's ability to explode past defenders and find herself in the open field facing only the New Hampton goalie.  She shot straight on from about 10 yards out, finding the upper right part of the net.  It was a goal that became an exclamation point on the fantastic effort these girls put in all season.  The Huskies fought back with everything they had, but the KUA defenders valiantly pushed them away just yards from the goal with mere minutes remaining on the clock.  After batting down corner kicks and clearing balls again and again, the game finally ended when the referee blew his whistle three times.  After shaking hands, the girls circled around their coaches and celebrated their lone senior, Lindi Finn, who had one of her finest games as a left defender.   They also honored Aiyonna Gay's incredible game that found her everywhere on the field and making drives that showcased her ability to jump over her opponents and pivot on her feet at high speeds while still retaining the ball.  The Wildcats left everything on the field.  In particular, the work of the KUA defenders, Lindi, Miko, Chloe, and Angela and midfielders Olivia, JC, Taylor and Nikita made it very difficult for the opponent to gain the upper edge on shooting. While the season ended with a 5-7-1 record for the Wildcats, they were either tied or led at half time in all but two of their matchups.  It was a successful season capped off by a great final home game against a tough foe.  The loud ring of the victory bell signaled the joy of victory and that this KUA Wildcat JV Girls' team will soon return.
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• JV Girls' Wildcats lose home game against Proctor

  11/2/2024
  Peter Alden
  This blustery and cold Saturday afternoon didn't quite end up the way the girls wanted it to in their third matchup against Proctor Academy, but they went down fighting to the very end, even scoring the final point with less than 5 minutes to go. It was a nice pass inside the box from Nikita Giguere to Shoshi Parodneck, who chipped the ball over the Proctor goalie's head to score her first goal of the season.  The other goal was scored by Aiyonna Gay who shot it from her favorite spot, 10 yards from the right side of the goal, a hard shot that the Proctor goalie couldn't hang onto.  On their end of the field, the Wildcat girls had trouble containing the much bigger and deeper Proctor players, yielding four scores, including two in the first half.  With just 11 players available, the girls still chose to play 35 minutes halves.  Any type of fatigue due to the lack of subs didn't seem to show on these Wildcats because they played with the same intensity throughout the game.  By the conclusion, some of the girls lay on the turf nursing their sore ankles.  The fighting spirit of this group of Wildcat girls will not subside as they prepare for the final matchup of the season against New Hampton next Saturday.
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• In a rematch against Hoderness School, the Wildcat girls display their toughness

  10/30/2024
  Peter Alden
  If there was ever a game to demonstrate the Wildcat girls' toughness, it was on the cold and soaking wet turf at Holderness this Wednesday.  From the offset, the Wildcats were everywhere on the field, chasing down the ball, forming nearly impenetrable lines of defense in their goal box, and driving the ball hard into opponent territory.  Holderness had 25 players to just 11 KUA girls.  Once again, the Wildcats lacked subs, but this was in no way slowing them down.  They stopped more than 15 corner kicks and just as many scoring drives.  All four defenders managed to block several shots of their own inside the box.  Forwards and midfielders Aiyonna Gay, JC Bernard, Shoshi Parodneck and Olivia Root had their own highlights as they drove the ball into Holderness territory and managed to get several shots off, including a fantastic cross by Aiyonna that found Shoshi wide open.  Taylor Swett was the sweeper who seemed to be everywhere on the field, making it difficult for Holderness to get a clear shot.  Perhaps the biggest hero of the game was goalie West Lee-Ogilbee who made several miraculous saves, including one where she deflected the ball numerous times in a crowded box that included 4 Holderness players and at least as many Wildcats.  It was chaos.  The ball bounced around West for nearly a minute before it was finally cleared.  There was just 4 minutes left in the game.  It could've gone either way, but both teams fought hard to defend their goal.  This super close game ended in a 0-0 tie.  Not quite the result the KUA girls were looking for, but the coaches were proud of them putting up such stalwart effort against a much bigger team on their home turf.  The Wildcat girls look forward to their own home game against Proctor this Saturday.

• KUA Wildcats snap losing streak with huge second half surge against St. Paul's School

  10/23/2024
  Peter Alden
  The Wildcat girls gathered around their coaches, yet again feeling the heat and intensity of trying to keep the game close against the St. Paul Pelicans who beat them earlier this season 3-1.  It was a situation they've encountered several times before, fighting mightily in the first half, staying even through tough defense, and then only to let it slip away in the second half due to fatigue and lack of subs, or just plain dumb luck.  Yet, something was different this time around.  Playing tough defense simply wasn't enough anymore.  After five straight losses, they needed a win.  Somehow, they had to get more offensive ball movement.  Maybe by clearing the ball further down the field so that their forwards Aiyonna Gay and Sophie Dupeyron and their midfielders led by Audrey Underhill could burst behind the enemy line and get themselves within scoring range.  This would give them more shots on goal.  The message was clear and it resonated through the players as they gave their halftime cry with more energy than ever before.  The KUA team's mission is built on supporting one another and cultivating a positive team atmosphere no matter what happens, win or lose.  The second half of this game was like the gong of a massive bell heard loud and clear across the seasonally warm soccer fields of St. Paul's School.  The ball was launched from the KUA's defensive end again and again, and eventually into the clutches of Aiyonna Gay who drove down the right side of the field to within a couple meters of the St. Paul goal line and unleashed a shot from 7 yards away, at the smallest angle, nailing the ball into the top left corner of the goal.  It was a tenuous 1-0 score off a great goal, but the KUA girls continued to clear the ball out from their half until Sophie Dupeyron found Audrey Underhill who sprinted furiously from 50 yards out against a lone St. Paul's defender, getting close enough to uncork a hard shot from just 7 yards that bounced off the goalie and into the bottom left.  The 2-0 score was still not enough for these Wildcats.  Another cleared ball and another exciting sprint by Aiyonna Gay down the right side that led to a near replica shot into the top left corner of the goal.  The game ended in flying colors, a 3-0 win to break the long 5-game losing streak of so many close games.  The Wildcat girls look forward to their next away game against Holderness on October 30th.

• Another strong defensive effort by KUA was not enough to hold off Philips Exeter

  10/17/2024
  Peter Alden
  The Wildcat girls JV soccer team warmed up in earnest near the Kimball barn on a chilly Wednesday afternoon in anticipation of a tough matchup against a supposedly strong Philips Exeter squad, a team that beat Brewster 6-0 earlier this season.  The KUA girls are used to facing tough opponents and having to work extra hard to prevent multiple scoring opportunities and pinning their hopes on sometimes far fewer shots of their own.  This game was no exception!  The Wildcat girls came out strong, playing a brilliant first half where goalie West Lee-Ogilbee made 10 saves and the KUA offense, led by Aiyona Gay, got off a few close shots early.  However, it was the KUA defensive effort that involved literally every player on their half of the field that prevented the Lion Rampants from taking over the game.  That was the first half, a 0-0 score.  As has often been the case so far this season, the shorthanded KUA team, playing with just 1 sub this time around, began to fade a little during the second half of the game which opened the door for open shot opportunities from Exeter.  Two got past West who, along with her tiring defense, gave everything they had to provide their offense a chance to take the lead in this tight matchup.  The game ended in a very hard fought 0-2 loss!  After the girls shook hands with their victorious opponents, they gathered around their coaches giving shoutouts to their hard working teammates and looking forward to the long weekend ahead.  It will be a much needed break before entering the final stretch that lies just ahead.  The next matchup will be an away game against St. Paul's School on October 23rd.

• Proctor girls win shootout against the Wildcats in JV soccer rematch

  10/12/2024
  Peter Alden
  The away game at Proctor Academy was miraculously exciting despite the lopsided nature of the two teams.  The wind gusted at around 30 mph, scouring the grassy fields and the sky was a robin's egg hue.  It was an absolutely stunning day for soccer.  Like several games so far this season, the KUA girls were shorthanded with only 11 players and no subs.  They were also without their starting goalie and all three midfielders.  However, the anticipation of a fun matchup against a much bigger team was palpable among the Wildcat girls.   The coaches instructed their athletes to focus on stout defense and wait for the chance to pounce offensively.  This tactic worked well throughout the game.  The Hornets took 13 shots on the Wildcat goal during the first half alone, scoring just one of them. The KUA defensive effort, led by sweeper Chloe Dixon and center fullback Miko Stephens, kept the Hornets from getting a clean shot and were able to effectively clear the ball out to the touchline, breaking the rhythm of the attackers.  The Wildcats scored their own goal with a beautiful pass from striker Aiyonna Gay to center midfielder Audrey Underhill just yards from the goal to tie it up at 1-1. During the second half, the Hornets took another 8 shots on goal, making another one.  They also got a goal from a penalty shot.  Goalie Karen Levisay tallied 9 saves throughout the day, a fantastic statistic for someone who hasn't played goalie since she was 6 years old.  An additional 9 shots from the Hornets sailed wide or above the goal.  Proctor was on the KUA half of the field for a whopping 75% of the match.  The coaches are very proud that the Wildcats never gave up despite the apparent mismatch in numbers.  As always, there were a few close shots on the Hornets goal in the final minutes of the game that left the girls thirsty for more.  We look forward to our next matchup, a home game against Phillips Exeter Academy next Wednesday.

• JV Girls' Wildcats Miss Opportunities Against Brewster Bobcats

  10/10/2024
  Peter. Alden
  Against a much bigger Brewster Bobcats team and on a 3/4 sized soccer field, the KUA JV girls' soccer team put up yet another strong effort, holding the Bobcats to just three scores on many opportunities. Goalie West Lee-Ogilbee turned in a number of exciting saves and the strong KUA defensive effort gave the Bobcats trouble throughout the game.  But while the KUA offense was unable to get clear shots on the Brewster goal, the smaller sized field allowed the Bobcat's strong kickers more shooting opportunities, including several from outside the goalie box.  West Lee-Ogilbee was able to fend off the longer range shots, but two of the Bobcat goals were made on strong crosses inside the goalie box.  KUA was able to get a couple excellent shots off that sailed wide, but most of their drives came up just short as the Bobcats kept the speedy KUA forwards from breaking away.  The game ended in the first shutout of the season against the Wildcats.  The Wildcats will work hard to regroup for the next matchup against Proctor.

• JV Girls' Wildcats Don't Surrender in Tough Loss to Holderness

  10/4/2024
  Peter Alden
  Down 0-3 with 5 minutes left in the game, the KUA girls' soccer team mustered everything they had left against a much larger Holderness team.  They moved the ball quickly, deliberately down the field where it reached center midfielder Audrey Underhill who was able to dribble it through two defenders and shoot to the left side from 8 yards out.  It was a symbolic goal, a testament to the fighting spirit of a girls team that has had to overcome a shortage of players throughout the season and, even more recently, injuries to both team captains.  This Wildcat team doesn't give up!  The Holderness team went quiet after that final goal, knowing that the game was still not over.  Perhaps they were wondering if the feisty Wildcats had a trick up their sleeve.  But it wasn't to be as the Wildcat girls fought hard for another goal, pushing the the ball up to their lightning fast striker, Aiyonna Gay, and back into the Blue Bulls' territory just as the clock ran to zero.  After all the hard work the KUA girls put out this evening, it hurt that the sweetness of victory was just out of reach.  But the bitterness of defeat was not noticeable on the faces of these 12 girls and their captains who supported them from the sidelines.  They gave shoutouts to each other in jubilant fashion and celebrated the fact that they would get pizza later after the game.  The coaches could never be prouder of how well they represented their school and elevated their teammates against a very strong Holderness team.  Even in the face of defeat there is something to be said when you can stand tall against such odds.  Way to go KUA girls' JV soccer team!  We are excited to head to Brewster next Wednesday for a rematch against the Bobcats.

• JV Girls' Wildcat Three Game Win Streak Broken by St. Paul's School

  10/2/2024
  Peter Alden
  The JV Girl's three game win streak came to an end on a sunny Wednesday afternoon in a gutsy match against the St. Paul School Pelicans. They led 1-0 through much of the first half, but were unable to prevent multiple scoring opportunities by the feisty Pelicans as the game progressed.  Audrey Underhill scored KUA's lone goal midway through the first half on an excellent pass by teammate Brinley Dodge that found her open just 5 yards from the goal.  The Wildcats worked hard to keep the small lead by controlling the tempo of the game, using the touch line often and pushing the ball up the field.  However, the Pelicans fought back hard and began successfully pushing the ball down to the KUA side of the field more often, getting more scoring opportunities, including a penalty kick.  During the final few minutes of the game, team captain JC Bernard sustained an injury while driving hard to the Pelican goal that ended her game, but the Wildcats forged on with a few missed opportunities to reduce the Pelican lead.  The Wildcats are looking forward to another great matchup during Friday's afternoon game against Holderness.
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  Girls' JV Soccer Wildcats Secure Third Straight Victory Against New Hampton

  9/28/2024
  Peter Alden
  With just 11 players and no subs up against a 24-strong New Hampton team, the KUA girls gathered around their team captains, JC Bernard and Melissa Liu, and took the plunge into what would be the most tremendous victory of the season so far.  After just two minutes, the KUA girls were down 0-1 and it wasn't until the 14th minute that they were able to tie it up with a fantastic 5 yard shot to the lower left from midfielder Olivia Root.  KUA's goalie of the day was sophomore Karen Levisay who had not played the position in many years filling in for an injured West Lee-Ogilbee who played center fullback.  With the score tied at 1-1, the player of the day, striking midfielder JC Bernard, stunned the crowd with a 25 yard strike that sent the ball over the head of the New Hampton goalie to take a 2-1 lead before the half.  During the second half, the KUA girls worked hard to run down the clock and dictate the pace of the game by using the touchline and spreading the ball out wide.  However, the New Hampton players made a strong push to get the ball down to KUA's goal and managed to get one by Lavisay and two defenders.  With the game tied at 2-2, freshman Aiyonna Gay attacked the New Hampton goal with her speed and tenacity, drawing her second foul of the day in the penalty box to set up JC Bernard's  penalty kick to the upper left.  The girls managed to hold off several more attacks from New Hampton to run the clock down and secure the 3-2 victory.  We're looking forward to our next home game at 3:00 p.m. on Grenier Field against St. Paul's School.

• KUA JV Girls' Soccer Team Wins a Tight Matchup Against Proctor

  9/27/2024
  Peter Alden
  The KUA JV girls soccer team held off an undefeated Proctor girls team using strong defense and several clearances from fullbacks West Lee-Ogilbee, Chloe Dixon, and Lachlyn Zackman throughout the game.  The first half was dominated by striker Aiyonna Gay and striking midfielder JC Bernard who used their speed to get behind Proctor's defense, unleashing a few shots before Aiyonna was fouled inside the box, setting up for a penalty kick.  Aiyonna made her own penalty shot with a strong strike to the left side of the goal and the KUA girls were able to band together to close down shooting lanes during the second half.  But the game wasn't quite over after a hand ball foul in the box allowed Proctor a chance to tie it up with a penalty kick of their own.  Goalie Taylor Swett, who was filling for an injured West Lee-Ogilbee at that position, was able to make the save, preserving KUA's lead and giving them a 2-1 record.  The girls will travel to New Hampton on Saturday in a bid for their third straight win.  Gooo KUA!
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• The JV Girls Soccer Team Gets First Victory in Win Over Northfield Mt. Hermon

  9/15/2024
  Peter Alden
  The JV Wildcat girl's soccer team finished strong in their exciting home field matchup against Northfield Mt. Hermon (NMH).  Goalie West Lee-Ogilbee had another great game with more than 10 saves and Freshman midfielder Audrey Underhill scored all three goals for the Wildcats.  After building a 2-0 lead in the first half, the girls shook off their fatigue with only one sub and managed to get another goal from Underhill's well placed penalty kick in the second half.  The game was far from over when NMH girls came on strong in the final 15 minutes, scoring a goal, and getting several other chances, but the Wildcat girls came together to close down multiple shooting lanes, preventing the NMH girls from getting a clean shot on goal.  The team is looking forward to their next home matchup against Proctor Academy on Pope Field on September 27th.
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  The KUA Wildcats Keep it Close Against the Brewster Bobcats

  9/14/2024
  Peter Alden
  In a tight race to the finish, the KUA JV girls soccer team came together for a great performance against the Brewster Bobcats.  The 12-strong Wildcats held a 1-0 lead into the second half until the lack of substitute players got the best of them against a 21-strong Brewster team.  They ended up yielding 2 scores to the Bobcats in the final 20 minutes.  Goalie West Lee-Ogilbee used her athleticism to ratchet 12 saves and the fleet footed attacking midfielder JC Bernard and striker Aiyonna Gay repeatedly burst behind the defensive lines to get several shots on goal during the first half.  The KUA Girls JV Soccer team is looking forward to many more exciting opportunities to represent their school as the season progresses!
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