Anne Brush helped the Padua girls soccer team reach the DIAA Division I championship game against Caesar Rodney. The Pandas are 17-0.
MIDDLETOWN – Going deep in the DIAA Division I girls soccer state tournament is familiar territory for top-seeded Padua.
And once again, they’ll be looking to add another state championship trophy to their already-crammed trophy case.
Junior midfielder Anne Brush scored two goals as the Pandas ran their perfect record to 17-0, defeating No. 4 seed Wilmington Charter 3-0 Wednesday night at Appoquinimink High School. The win sends Padua to its fifth consecutive appearance in the DI title game.
“This team knows that it’s championship time,” Pandas head coach Joe Brown said. “They know that they have to play better.”
“We know that’s there’s going to be tough competition,” Brush said of Charter. “It feels good to get it done.”
Padua scored two goals early and late in the first half. Mackenzie Scully curled a shot around Force goalie Jenna Lussier in the fourth minute to give Padua the lead and Brush added a goal in the 36th minute to give the Pandas a little breathing room.
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Brush added her second goal off a feed from Ashlee Brentlinger in the 15th minute of the second half.
“It felt good to score two goals, but I was more excited about helping my team win,” Brush said modestly.
While the Panda offense was rolling, their defense was able to keep the Force off the scoreboard and with only four shots on goal, it was another lockdown job for the Pandas’ backline.
“We’ve only allowed one goal all year, to the defending state champion in Virginia,” Brown explained. “So it’s an experienced group who knows how to play defense.”
Lussier stopped six shots for Wilmington Charter, who finished their season 11-4-1.