2026 REGULAR SEASON RECAP

This year was the story of the underdog. In early May, the Crusaders looked onto a season full of former foes and new faces loaded with top talent from Power 5 Conferences. Where outside viewers and other coaches may have seen a “talent gap”, we saw an opportunity. An opportunity to show the USL-W League that Hudson Valley has been overlooked. These women took full advantage of this opportunity and owned the underdog mentality. They rallied and proved that we can do more than just hang with the industry giants. Coming off a dominant 3-1 win on Thursday against Hartford Athletic, this group is fired up and hopeful that results will fall our way on Saturday to yield our first playoff berth in our short USL-W League tenure.

              Back to the beginning, May 16^th against AC Connecticut stained the start of our season. A painstaking, game tying goal in extra time dropped us two points, leaving us with the draw to kick off the season. The month of May only yielded four points in four matches for the club further solidifying to the opposition that we could not prove to be a threat. This team dug deep and decided losing is so last month.  The ‘saders have not lost a match in the month of June…. Undefeated since May 29^th.

Joy Okonye controls the ball in our June 6th win over AC Connecticut.

              You cannot discuss this tremendous team success without a nod to Joy Okonye. The Nigerian midfielder leads the Northeast Division in both goals and assists at six a piece, an average of two points per match. Her Right to Dream connection, Emmanuella Frimpomaa has five goals in her five matches played. Even the top defenses in the league have no answers for this attack. Goals scored in every. single. match played. ‘Saders count for half of Hartford’s goals conceded, more than half of New England’s goals conceded and nearly half of Vermont Green’s.

              Our defense has been impressive as well, conceding just twelve goals on the season, only FIVE in the month of June. That is less than a goal per game. Hats off to Marta Carrasco Mesa, Imani Morlock, Lina Ballmann, Paige Place, Madi Heitman, and any other ‘sader who stepped into the backline this past month. The month of June truly was a full team effort, Sam Guckian and Riley Pettigrew stepping up with their first goals for the club, Perri Anderson making her W-League debut, every single player did their part.

              There is so much more success to mention from this season, Coach Mitchell Kazanjian’s 50^th match coached, career debuts, club records broken, the list goes on. We are saving it and hope to share later in July in a full season recap. For now, you can join us on Saturday, June 27^th at 6pm in supporting New England Mutiny as they host the Vermont Green at Lustiano Stadium.