Week 4: Big Win, Bigger Momentum

Week 4 Recap: Big Wins, Bigger Momentum for Delaware Rising FC
By Your Dedicated Delaware Rising FC Supporter

Week 4 brought goals, grit, and another wave of momentum for Delaware Rising FC. 

Let’s break it down.

Women’s Team: Six Goals, One Statement Win

The Rising Women were back and absolutely flying this weekend, picking up a commanding 6-1 win over Panthers FC. From start to finish, the match was all DRFC — sharp passing, relentless pressure, and a real display of team chemistry.

This one was a showcase of shared brilliance:

• Megan Michels opened the scoring, calmly finishing off a crisp corner from Erin Hudson.

• Kindall Duke followed with a fantastic goal.

• Lindsey Castillo slotted home another, this time from a smart assist by Avery Curtin.

• Then came Ally Curtin, taking matters into her own hands with a goal.

• Alexis Ivory added to the tally, set up perfectly by Avery Settles.

• And to close it out, Ashley Green tucked away the sixth, assisted by Kasey Duke.
  

The Player of the Match? Lindsey Castillo — composed, clinical, and consistently dangerous. Her presence on the ball changed the game, and her finish was textbook.

This squad is heating up at the right time — and if you're not watching them play yet, you're seriously missing out.

Men’s Team: A Win by Forfeit, but the Water Still Rises

Sometimes, a win is a win — even when it doesn’t come the way we’d hoped. The Rising Men were set to clash with Stark County United, but the visitors were forced to forfeit due to a lack of available players, resulting in a 3-0 victory for Delaware.

It’s not how the team wanted to earn points, but the result helps build momentum after a hard-fought Week 3 and keeps the squad fresh and focused on what's next — and what’s next is a big one.

Looking Ahead: All Eyes on the Cup and a Big Test for the Women

🚨 Next Up for the Men: League Cup Showdown
📆 June 3
🆚 Mansfield Liederkranz
🏟️ Location: Otterbein University

This isn't a regular league match — it's a League Cup battle, and the Rising will be looking to make a statement. With fresh legs and plenty of attacking firepower, expect the boys to come out firing.

⚽ Next Up for the Women: Major League Test
📆 June 7
🆚 Twinsburg United
🏟️ Location: Tiger Stadium

Twinsburg will be a real challenge, but this Rising team is riding high off a dominant Week 4. With goals coming from all over the pitch and chemistry growing stronger every match, confidence will be key heading into this matchup.

Whether you're following from the stands or streaming from home, there's never been a better time to support your local club. Week 4 showed us just how much talent and spirit Delaware Rising FC brings to the field. And trust me — the best is still to come.

Let’s pack the stands, raise the noise, and keep this energy rolling.

Week 3: Hard Battles at Home

Week 3 Recap: A Hard-Fought Battle and a Big Weekend Ahead
By a Loyal Delaware Rising FC Supporter

With the Women’s team on a well-earned bye week, all eyes turned to the Rising Men’s squad as they took the field Saturday at Buckeye Valley High School for what turned out to be an intense, gritty clash with Ashland United.

And while the final score wasn’t in our favor with a narrow 2-1 loss, this match was a testament to just how much heart and resilience Delaware Rising FC brings to every game.

Men’s Team: Falling Just Short in a Fight to the Final Whistle

The sun was high, the crowd was loud, and the atmosphere was electric as the Rising hosted Ashland United in front of our home faithful. The match was physical, fast-paced, and fiercely contested from the first whistle to the last.

Delaware struck first, thanks to a moment of pure class from Mason Morris, who bent a free kick into the back of the net with pinpoint precision midway through the first half.

Ashland managed to edge ahead with a second in the later stages of the game, but Rising didn’t stop fighting for even a second. From backline battles to attacking surges in the closing minutes, the boys in blue gave everything they had.

It wasn’t the result we wanted but make no mistake: this team is tough, talented, and absolutely relentless.

Looking Ahead: June 1st Doubleheader at Buckeye Valley High School

Mark your calendars, set your alarms, and bring your friends… June 1st is going to be HUGE.

For the second time this season, both our Women’s and Men’s teams will take the pitch on the same day, right here at Buckeye Valley High School in a doubleheader showdown.

🕐 Women’s Match – 1:00 PM
🕔 Men’s Match – 5:00 PM

It’s more than a game day, it’s a full-on Delaware Rising celebration. Expect passion. Expect noise. Expect our teams to come out hungry and ready to represent the 740 with pride.

Whether you’ve been in the stands since day one or you're just discovering the magic of local football, now is the time to get behind your club.

Let’s fill the stands. Let’s raise our voices. Let’s show the Northern Ohio Soccer League what Up the Rising truly means.

Week 2: Up The Rising

Week 2 Recap: Highs, Lows, and Hat Tricks for Delaware Rising FC

Delaware Rising Football Club gave us a rollercoaster of emotions in Week 2 — some serious highs, a couple of tough moments, but above all, a whole lot of pride in the crest. Both the Women’s and Men’s teams laced up, battled hard, and showed that the spirit of Up the Rising is alive and well in Delaware, Ohio.

Women’s Team: A Tale of Two Matches

Match 1: Rising vs. Panthers FC – A Statement Win (3-0)
On a sun-soaked evening at Crestview High School, the Rising Women came out flying against Panthers FC. From the first whistle, the energy was electric — pressing high, connecting passes, and asserting dominance all over the pitch.

Goals came from three different players — the kind of team effort that tells you this squad isn’t just deep, they’re dangerous.

• Lindsey Whitmore broke the deadlock early, calmly slotting home after a slick build-up.

• Kindall Duke followed with a beautiful finish from the penalty spot.

• And then — oh yes — Ali De Gracia, pushed up and buried one to put the nail in the coffin from a long way out.

Ali wasn’t just the Player of the Match for scoring. She anchored the backline, snuffed out Panther attacks, and still found the legs to get forward and score.

Match 2: Rising vs. Susserfuss Ballverein – A Tough 3-0 Loss
The second match of the week was a tough one. The Rising ladies held their own in long stretches but couldn’t find the breakthrough, eventually falling 3-0.

But in the thick of the fight, Avery Curtin stayed strong for our midfield. She never stopped running, battled every 50/50, and was a calming presence in possession. Even in defeat, she showed the kind of grit that keeps us proud.

Men’s Team: Topple’s the Opponent (6-0 over Mahoning Trumbull United)

Delaware Rising’s Men’s side? Pure fireworks. They hosted Mahoning Trumbull United and treated the home fans to a six-goal showcase. It was the kind of night where the scoreboard barely kept up.

The attacking movement was fluid, the defense was rock solid, and the chemistry? Chef’s kiss.

Goal scorers:

• Aidan Shepardson kicked things off with a confident finish.

• Beelal Hasan added a second with style and pace.

• Landon Kuhn got on the scoresheet too, linking up beautifully with the midfield.

• And then came the hat trick. Ryan Miller, our maestro in the middle, put on a clinic. Three goals. Vision, movement, ruthless finishing — Miller was everywhere.

No surprise he took home Player of the Match honors. He owned that midfield.

Looking Ahead

We’re only in Week 2, and already Delaware Rising is turning heads. The women’s team has shown they can shut out opponents and bounce back strong, while the men’s team sent a message that they’re a force to be reckoned with.

If you’re not already in the stands, what are you waiting for? This club is building something special. One game at a time. One goal at a time. One heart-filled performance after another.

Let’s carry the momentum. Let’s pack the stands. And as always...

UP THE RISING.

Week 1: Delaware Rising FC

This past Sunday, Delaware Rising FC kicked off our fifth season in the Northern Ohio Soccer League (NOSL) with a doubleheader that had everything we love about this club—new faces, returning veterans, a loud home crowd, and plenty of grit. Both our women’s and men’s teams opened their 2025 campaigns on home turf, and while the results went in different directions, the passion and fight were unmistakable.

Women’s Match: Tough Result, Strong Foundation

The women’s side opened the day against a sharp Ohio City SC team, ultimately falling 0–2. But don’t let the score fool you—this was a composed, hard-fought performance from a great group. With a mix of new additions and returning players, the team showed signs of cohesion and resilience that will elevate them for the season ahead.

Player of the Match honors went to Myah Byers, who anchored the backline with confidence and poise. As a center defender, she was a rock—winning tackles, organizing the shape, and stepping up in big moments. Her leadership in the heart of the defense had a huge impact on the pitch. This is a squad with promise. The chemistry is building, and the fight is already there.

Men’s Match: Goals, Grit, and Three Points

The men’s match brought fireworks in a wild 6–4 win over Wooster FC. From the first whistle, it was an open, attacking affair. Delaware Rising came out on top thanks to relentless pressure and a spread of scoring across the lineup.

Here’s how the goals shook out:

• Lincoln Wallace scored twice, making defenders pay with his pace and nose for the goal.

• Brent Rader added two more to the scoreline.

• A Wooster own goal gave us a lift after a dangerous ball into the box.

• And Eli Traber, our center back, got on the scoresheet with a class finish off of a corner.

Traber also took home Player of the Match honors—and for good reason. He brought leadership, physicality, and determination to the backline, while also contributing a clutch goal. In a match that demanded both toughness and composure, he delivered both.

Looking Ahead: The Spirit Remains

Five seasons in, and Delaware Rising is still growing but the core values haven’t changed. We saw it this weekend in every challenge, every sprint, every cheer from the sideline. These teams are built on hard work, unity, and pride in the crest.

The women’s team laid a solid foundation and showed they’re ready to push forward. The men’s team lit up the scoreboard and walked away with three points. Together, they’ve launched the season with heart—and there's more to come.

This club isn’t just rising… it’s thriving.

#UpTheRising

Get Ready to Rise!

The chill of winter is finally fading, and that means one thing: soccer is back!

Get ready to cheer on your Delaware Rising Football Club as both our men's and women's teams gear up for another thrilling season in the Northern Ohio Soccer League (NOSL). We're hitting the pitch with renewed energy, a roster full of talent, and a burning desire to bring home the championship. From Columbus to Northeast Ohio, we'll be battling it out against the best NOSL has to offer, and we can't wait to share the excitement with you, our incredible fans.

This season promises to be bigger and better than ever. Both squads have been working tirelessly in the off-season, honing their skills and building team chemistry. Expect to see some fresh faces making an impact alongside our returning stars. Keep an eye on our social media channels for player spotlights, behind-the-scenes glimpses, and tactical breakdowns as we get closer to kickoff.

We're bringing the action to you, wherever you are! Whether you're able to join us at our home matches across Columbus and Northeast Ohio, or you're following from afar, you won't miss a moment. All of our games will be live-streamed on our YouTube channel, so you can catch every goal, every save, and every heart-stopping play. Don't forget to subscribe and turn on notifications so you never miss a match! We'll also be posting highlights, interviews, and exclusive content throughout the season.

The ultimate goal? Dominating NOSL and making a deep run in the end-of-season tournament. We know it won't be easy, but with your unwavering support, we're confident that we can achieve great things. So mark your calendars, grab your DRFC gear, and get ready to make some noise! The season is almost here, and we can't wait to see you cheering us on as we chase our dreams. UP THE RISING!

2025 TRYOUTS

The buzz around Delaware Rising Football Club is real, and it just hit a new high! This year’s tryouts for the 2025 season have been nothing short of thrilling, with an incredible mix of energy, passion, and raw talent. Both the men’s and women’s teams are shaping up to be stronger than ever, thanks to some outstanding performances from both returners and new faces on the field!

On December 14, 2024, we saw a solid mix of aspiring athletes, eager to make their mark, turned out to showcase their skills. The energy was electric, with players pushing themselves to the limit, displaying a level of determination that wowed the coaches.

For the men’s team, the competition was fierce, with several standout performances. Fast footwork, sharp tactics, and incredible team chemistry were on full display. The players fought for every inch of the field, leaving no doubt that Delaware Rising FC is on the hunt for top-tier talent. Whether it was precision passing or impressive goalkeeping, every corner of the field had its moment of brilliance.

On the women’s side, the tryouts were equally exciting, with powerful and skillful play stealing the show. From dynamic forwards to solid defenders, the women’s team showcased the kind of teamwork and tenacity that Delaware Rising FC is known for.

This year’s tryouts proved that Delaware Rising FC isn’t just a team—but a family built on team pride. The 2025 season is shaping up to be unforgettable, and with the level of talent uncovered at these tryouts, fans can expect to see some explosive performances.

We can't wait to see how these new faces will gel with the returning players! Stay tuned as Delaware Rising Football Club continues to rise to new heights—this season is going to be epic! #DelawareRising #RisingTogether #UpTheRising

June - Delaware Rising Recap

Rising complete a busy month with both squads in the thick of the playoff hunt.

June was a wild & action-packed month for Delaware Rising as the men & women’s squads combined to play 13 MATCHES in the only full month of the NOSL season. The men stayed perfect in league play after the last weekend of June, going 3-3-0 putting them squarely in 3rd place in the NOSL 1st division & earning a spot in the playoffs for the 4th consecutive year. They also won their way into the semi-finals of the Stimulus Cup where they fell short of a trip to the championship, falling 3-2 to Mansfield Liederkranz in extra time. The women built on the rocky start to the season, going 3-1-1 in league play, putting them in the 4th and final playoff spot heading into the final weekend of the regular season.

The Rising Men Remain unbeaten in League Play, highlighted by 9-1 rout of pali united

The men played a full schedule in June, playing 8 games in total during the month. Things kicked off with back-to-back matches against NOSL newcomers, Inter Columbus. Delaware won both matches, the first on Saturday, June 1st, a 2-1 win at BVHS with defender Alex Spiers earning Player of the Match honors for anchoring the backline & locking down the win. The second match came a few days later on Wednesday, June 5th, at Grove City Christian High School. Riding a scoreless tie late into the evening, midfielder Jackson Terry broke the stalemate to send DRFC to the semi-finals of the Stimulus Cup & earned Player of the Match honors for the goal.

Following their thrilling Stimulus Cup win, the men traveled to Ashland to face off against Ashland United in a rematch of the 2023 playoff match that prematurely ended Delaware’s title hopes. In a highly contested match, Delaware’s Mason Morris was an offensive force to be reckoned with, scoring the lone Rising goal in a 1-1 scoreline & earning Player of the Match for the effort.

Returning to Buckeye Valley the following weekend, Delaware earned their largest win of the season, a 9-1 rout of Pali United. The win was truly a team effort, with 4 different players scoring including: a brace for both Landon Kuhn & Franklin Rodriguez, & another hat trick from forward Zach Hunt. Kuhn, Rodriguez, & Hunt also contributed a plethora of assists on the evening, ultimately contributing to 8 of the team’s 9 goals. The player of the match accolade ultimately went to Landon Kuhn for scoring 2 goals, assisting on 2 others & forcing an own goal to open the evening.

A few days later, the Men would host Mansfield Liederkranz in the semi-finals of the Stimulus Cup at Olentangy Berlin High School. In a thrilling match, the teams would be deadlocked at 1-1 through 90 minutes. Delaware would concede twice in the extra time period & late in the 2nd half of extra time, Rising midfielder Ryan Miller would hit a solid worm-burner from the top of the box past the diving keeper to bring Delaware to within one goal. Delaware would have one final chance in the final moments of extra time, after a handball was called against Liederkranz inside the box, but would be unable to find the equalizing goal to get the game to PKs giving Delaware their first loss of the season.

Moving on from Stimulus Cup play, Delaware would travel north again this time facing Stark County United. In an evenly contest match, neither side would be able to get a tally on the scoresheet & the match would finish 0-0. Defender Alex Brown received Player of the Match awards for spearheading the defensive effort & helping Delaware maintain their unbeaten record.

The last week of June saw Delaware with another multi-match week, hosting Mansfield Liederkranz again, this time at Buckeye Valley HS. Delaware would open the scoring early on with a 10th minute goal from forward Franklin Rodriguez, who was able to fight through a few Mansfield defenders and maintain his composure to put the ball past the tailing defender and keeper to put Delaware up 1-0. Early in the 2nd half, Delaware would double their lead on a penalty from Landon Kuhn. Mansfield would see their fair share of chances to close the gap including a couple of shots that hit off the post, fortunately the Delaware defense was around to shut down any potential rebound shots. Kuhn would add one more goal in the final moments of stoppage time to put the match away, helping Delaware secure their 3rd clean sheet of the season & their 2nd in less than a week. For his strong midfield play & scoring a brace, Landon Kuhn was named player of the match.

For the final weekend of June, Delaware welcomed Mahoning Trumbull United to Buckeye Valley for the final home match of the season. From the opening whistle, Delaware had MTU on the back foot & didn’t let up. Brady Smith opened the scoring following a solid individual effort from Landon Kuhn to beat the defense & slot a perfect pass allowing Smith to one-time a shot over the arms of the MTU keeper. Delaware would add a similar goal right before halftime; on a solid run of attacking play, Delaware would play a cross into the box to find Mason Morris who sent a controlled pass to the trailing attacker Zach Hunt who easily connected to give Delaware their 2nd goal of the afternoon. Delaware would go into the half with a 2-0 lead.

Brady Smith and Landon Kuhn would connect again early in the 2nd half, in a near mirror of the 1st half goal. Following a throw near the Delaware bench, Kuhn received a short pass before turning and racing past the MTU defender. With his marker beat, Kuhn slotted a low pass to Smith to get his 2nd goal of the afternoon.

The final goal of the afternoon was assisted again by Kuhn, this time on a beautiful give-and-go between Kuhn & goal-scorer Kyler Foreman. Foreman received a pass from defender Alex Brown near midfield & carried the ball nearly uncontested to the top of the 18 before hitting Kuhn. With the ball back at his feet, Foreman fired a left-footed shot that ricocheted off the near post & into the goal, giving Delaware a 4-0 lead & locking up their fourth clean sheet of the year. For scoring a brace on the afternoon, Brady Smith earned Player of the Match honors & helped the men cap off a perfect month & keep them perfect going into the final weekend of the season.

Kyler Foreman & Landon Kuhn embrace following Foreman’s 1st goal of 2024. The goal capped a 4-0 victory for the Rising & locked up the fourth consecutive playoff appearance in club history

Delaware Rights the ship en route to 2nd straight Playoff appearance

The women looked to get in the win column to start the month of June, following two close losses against Panthers FC & Ohio City SC. Their first road match & first win of the season came against Mansfield Liederkranz on Sunday, June 2nd. Delaware dispatched easily of Mansfield, winning 4-1 with all four goals coming from the front line of attack. Rileigh Glassburn, Rachel Austin, & Sydney Thomas scored for the Rising with Austin leading the way with a brace. Thomas assisted on both goals from Austin & Ali de Gracia assisted on Thomas’s goal. At the end of the evening, Rachel Austin earned Player of the Match honors for the brace & Delaware got 3 points for the first time in 2024.

The following weekend, Delaware would be on the road once again in a rematch from week one, facing off against Panthers FC in Ashland. This time, the Rising would get the upper hand with a massive team effort locking up a 2-1 win for Delaware. Molly Ennis & Rachel Austin gave Delaware their two goals (assisted by Clara Richardson & Sarah Gundler, respectively), but goalkeeper Ella Schwartfager would earn the accolades for the evening. Fending off an impressive Panthers attack, Schwartfager set a club record with 13 SAVES & ensured Delaware would head home with 3 points once again.

Riding a 6-point “road trip,” Delaware returned home for the first of back-to-back matchups against the newest addition to NOSL, Susserfuss Ballverein. The homecoming was spoiled as Ballverein handed the Rising their first loss in June by a score of 2-5. Rachel Austin scored for the 3rd consecutive match (her 4th of the season) & Sydney Thomas notched her 3rd goal of the season, with Ali de Gracia getting player of the match for being a force to be reckoned with in the midfield by winning tackles. The Rising rebounded in the road matchup a week later. Trailing 1-0 in the 2nd half, Molly Ennis scored her 2nd goal of the season & earned Player of the Match honors for getting Delaware even & bringing a point back home.

Molly Ennis converts on a PK in the 2nd half of Delaware’s 7-0 win over Mansfield Liederkranz.

The final match of the month proved to be a massive highlight for the Rising, capping a 7-point month by adding three more against Mansfield Liederkranz. In the final home match of the season, Delaware gave the home support plenty to cheer about, scoring 7 goals & earning the first clean sheet of the season & the first in club history.

The Rising got a truly team effort in the 7-0 rout, 6 different players scored on the evening with familiar faces Rachel Austin, Lindsey Whitmore, Sydney Thomas, & Molly Ennis (PK) all getting on the scoresheet once again. Makayla Parry & McKenzie Hayes added a goal each to get onto the scoresheet for the first time in 2024. Whitmore & Kindall Duke each contributed two assists & Roisin Kennedy & Reese Hinkle each contributed one to round out the scoring for the evening. As a result, the entire squad was named player of the match.

With the convincing win, Delaware locked up the 4th and final spot in the playoffs, giving them their 2nd playoff appearance in club history heading into the final weekend of the season.

Week #2 - Delaware Rising Recap

A 3-match week see the men earning points on the road & the women coming up short at home

In the 2nd week of NOSL action, both the men’s and women’s teams were in action again. The men got their 1st multi-match week of the season, first traveling north to Malone University in Canton to face off against Ambassadors FC on Saturday, then up to Mansfield to face Liederkranz II on Wednesday in the first round of Stimulus Cup action. The women welcomed City of Ohio SC on Sunday to the friendly confines of Buckeye Valley High School for a rematch of the 2023 league finals.

Short-handed Delaware Rising Ride Defense & Timely Penalty to 1-1 draw

An intense & chippy matchup between Delaware Rising & Ambassadors FC resulted in a 1-1 draw, with Delaware spending 70+ minutes down to 10 players. After receiving a straight red card early in the match, Delaware didn’t seem phased by the disadvantage in the least. Both Delaware and Ambassadors saw a handful of scoring chances in the first half, with GK Aiden Miller making a handful of saves to keep Ambassadors off the board. Delaware’s Zach Hunt nearly connected on an acrobatic bicycle kick in the 21st minute & also connected with Colin McComb to force a save right before the halftime whistle. At the half, Delaware and Ambassadors were deadlocked at 0-0.

Coming out of halftime, Ambassadors had an early scoring chance in the 51st minute, a penalty awarded after a rough challenge in the box. The kicker lined up & fired a hard shot to the lower right-hand corner, but keeper Connor Sexton read the shot all the way and kicked it away to deny Ambassadors a crucial 1-0 lead. Watch the game-saving effort here

Delaware sent away another close-range attack a few minutes later. Another rough challenge outside the defensive box gave Ambassadors a free kick from 25 yards. The kick was perfectly placed into the box & found another attacker who booted the ball off the crossbar back into play. Before Ambassadors could get another shot off, defender Alex Brown used a Hurculean goalline header to send the ball away from danger. Ambassadors got a 2nd ball toward net, but Sexton was able to snatch it to stop the attack.

The two squads traded possessions until the 70th minute when Delaware would get their biggest chance of the afternoon. On a corner kick, team captain Landon Kuhn, sent a ball into the box & while guarding the goalline, an Ambassador defender knocked down a Rising attacker drawing a penalty of their own. After the dust settled, Kuhn lined up at the spot & hit a shot to the bottom left corner of the goal just past the outstretched arm of the Ambassador keeper to give the Rising a 1-0 lead. See the goal here.

From there, Ambassadors turned up the intensity on the offensive side of the ball. A number of chances including a handful of corner kicks put the pressure on Delaware’s defense & they rose to the challenge. Unfortunately for Delaware, Ambassadors earned one chance too many. In the 90th minute, Ambassadors hit a corner kick that found it’s way into traffic in the box. The initial corner was punched away by Sexton, but Ambassadors put the ball back toward net where they were able to find open space. Despite the defense’s pleas for an offside call, the goal stood and the game was even at 1-1 where it would stay for the remainder of the afternoon.

Superlative for the night: Keeper Connor Sexton earned Player of the Match honors, contributing a number of saves in the 2nd half including the penalty that would ultimately solidify the draw to keep Delaware perfect on the young season.

Match facts:

• Delaware improves to 1-1-3 all time against Ambassadors. Both the draw & the win came on the road at Malone University.

• Delaware keepers are no stranger to penalty stops against Ambassadors. Along with Connor Sexton’s stop from the afternoon, Tanner Masters also made a massive penalty stop in the 2022 match-up that helped solidify the Rising’s 1st win against Ambassadors & helped launch them into the playoff race.

Final thoughts on the evening: the Rising had to revamp their game plan much earlier than anticipated after the red card, but the squad put up a solid effort to shut down (nearly) everything Ambassadors threw at them. At the end of the season, you’ll take all the points you can get & a hard-fought point on the road is better than nothing. A gutsy 10-man defensive effort shows that this team is built for adversity.

Delaware move on to 2nd round of the Stimulus cup after Storm-shortened Win over LiederKranz 2

The men made a 2nd road trip this week following the draw against Ambassadors, this time for a mid-week matchup against Mansfield Liederkranz II in the first round of the newly established Stimulus Cup.

The game was evenly matched through the first 40 minutes of action, with both sides trading attacking chances though none that served major scoring threats. Delaware had a plethora of corner kicks during the first half, but weren’t able to make much of them until the 40th minute. On a corner taken from the near side, team captain Landon Kuhn, served up a perfect long-ball to the far side of the box where forward Jon Burton was there to head the ball toward goal. The shot was a bit of a floater & sailed just over the outstretched arms of the Mansfield keeper to give Delaware a 1-0 lead going to halftime. See the goal here

Coming out of halftime, Delaware didn’t have to wait long to find their 2nd goal of the evening. Just a couple moments into the half, a punt from the Mansfield keeper found a Delaware attacker. After a one-time pass, Landon Kuhn in a bit of captain-worthy situational awareness caught the Mansfield keeper slow to get back & launched a long-range shot that left Mansfield powerless to defend it. Less than 5 minutes into the half & Delaware would see their lead doubled to 2-0. See the goal here

The match would see no further action as thunder and lightning would begin rolling into the area, forcing a suspension of play in the 56th minute. After a 20 minute delay, the referees & league officials would ultimately decide to rule the match as an official match in lieu of trying to resume at a later date. Delaware left Mansfield with a 2-0 win & a berth in the next round of the Stimulus Cup, with their next opponent to be decided later the same evening in a random drawing.

After the conclusion of the evening’s matches, NOSL held a livestream to draw matchups for the next round of the Stimulus Cup. Delaware was selected to travel to Inter Columbus to face-off in the next round at a date and time to be determined soon.

Superlative for the night: Midfielder Landon Kuhn earned player of the match honors, contributing to both Delaware goals on the evening.

Final thoughts on the evening: in a match affected by the weather, it’s hard to say how the final 35 minutes of the match would have played out, but the intensity of Delaware’s attack & the staunch defensive effort certainly gave the team enough breathing room to lock up the victory. No sense getting caught up on the what-ifs and could-haves, Delaware earned a 2-0 victory on a night where the weather offered a helping hand & they’re moving on to the next round.

GK Connor Sexton, Midfielder Landon Kuhn, & midfielder Kindall Duke all earned Player of the Match honors for their performances in the week’s matches.

Delaware Gets highlight goal but come up short against Ohio City

Delaware Rising looked to bounce back from a week 1 loss to Panthers FC, but came up just short against a scrappy, rebranded Ohio City SC.

Delaware put in a massive shift defensively during the first half, fending off multiple waves of Ohio City attacks. Most of Ohio City’s offensive looks were stalled out before they could put the ball on goal, but there were a few shots that found the target & were stopped by keeper Taylor Thomas including a near point-blank save that came right before halftime (check out the alternate angle here). Delaware had a handful of chances of their own, but much like Ohio City, they didn’t find the target with consistency. At halftime, the match was even at a well-deserved 0-0 scoreline.

Ohio City would find a couple goals in quick succession early in the 2nd half. In the 54th minute, an Ohio City defender sent a ball over the top of the defense finding the forward perfectly in stride with enough open space to put the ball on target. Ohio City 1-0. The second goal came a couple minutes later, with another ball over the top. This time the attacker would use a quick step & some speed to open space to thread a near perfect pass to a fellow forward to tap into the goal. A very quick 2-0 advantage to Ohio City.

Delaware would get their lone goal of the evening 10 minutes later on a highlight reel free kick goal from team captain, Kindall Duke. While playing a ball in the final third, Rising forward Rachel Austin was pulled to the ground by two Ohio City defenders, setting up a free kick from about 30 yards out. Duke lined up and fired a shot that snuck in just beneath the crossbar, cutting the lead to 2-1. See the goal here & an alternate angle here

Following the Rising goal, the match was a mirror of the first half action. Both sides had a few additional scoring opportunities, but both defenses were able to stand up to every challenge. At the final whistle, Ohio City held on to secure the 2-1 victory.

Superlative for the night: Kindall Duke earned Player of the Match honors, for her early season candidate for goal of the year.

Match facts:

• Delaware falls to 1-0-3 all time against Ohio City SC

• Kindall Duke’s player of the match award marks the 3rd time she has been given the honor, the most of anyone in Rising Women’s team history. The other two times were in consecutive matches against Panthers FC in 2023, in the regular season finale & the first round of the playoffs.

Final thoughts on the evening: the Rising will look forward to the changing of the calendar. Another solid defensive evening with some very clean tackles from defender Reese Hinkle, but the Rising are still looking to find more connections between the defense and offense. They have the ability to score on a whim & when they are able to build consistently from the defense or connect on the counter-attack, it tends to let them score a lot of goals. When those connections happen, things will turn around quickly. The defense is there, the offensive weapons are there, the connection between the two will be crucial to their long-term success.

Both the men’s and women’s teams will be off for the Memorial Day holiday weekend & will return to action in the first weekend of June. The men welcome Inter Columbus to BVHS for the first time on Saturday, June 1st at 6 pm & the women will travel to Mansfield to face Liederkranz on Sunday, June 2nd at 2 pm.