Crusaders Roll Past Landmark Academy 8-1 in Home Opener

Austin Catholic High School’s Crusaders women’s soccer team opened its season in dominant fashion Thursday night, rolling to an 8-1 home victory over Landmark Academy.

The Crusaders seized control early and never allowed Landmark Academy to settle into the match, using a balanced attack and sustained pressure in the final third. Helena set the tone with a standout performance, finishing with two goals and two assists as Austin Catholic built a multi-goal cushion before halftime and continued to pull away after the break.

Keely Bieske provided the night’s biggest scoring punch, recording four goals and one assist to lead the attack. Bieske consistently found gaps in the Landmark back line, converting service from Helena and the Crusaders’ midfield to stretch the lead and put the match out of reach. Isabella Bongiovanni added another goal, capping a complete effort from the Austin Catholic frontline.

Playmaking was equally important to the Crusaders’ success. In addition to Helena’s two assists and Bieske’s one, Elena Ferri turned in a strong all-around outing with one goal and one assist. Rose O’Connor, Lucy Meteer and Rebecca Shrodes each chipped in an assist, helping Austin Catholic move the ball quickly through midfield and keep Landmark pinned in its defensive half for long stretches.

While the offense produced eight goals, the Crusaders’ defensive unit limited Landmark Academy to a single tally, controlling space in front of goal and cutting out most service into the box. Timely challenges and organized shape behind the ball allowed Austin Catholic to transition smoothly into attack and maintain momentum throughout both halves.

The convincing 8-1 result gives the Crusaders a strong start to their campaign and confidence heading into the next stretch of the schedule. With multiple players contributing goals and assists in the opener, Austin Catholic established an early identity built on depth, pressure and shared responsibility in the attack.