GRAHAMSVILLE – On a brisk Wednesday afternoon, the Tri-Valley Bears battled the Rhinebeck Hawks in the Section IX Class C semifinals, but their playoff run came to an end with a 4–2 loss.

The opening minutes saw even play from both sides, with crisp ball movement and strong defensive stands. Rhinebeck broke through first in the 21st minute when freshman Lexi Torres scored on a shot to the top right corner. Tri-Valley answered quickly as Allyson Chevalier connected with Angelina Raykoff for the equalizer, sending the game into halftime tied 1–1.

The Bears carried that momentum into the second half. Just a minute in, Chevalier and Raykoff linked up again — Raykoff netting her second goal to give Tri-Valley a 2–1 lead.

Senior Jordan Dymond and Junior Rebecca Squires anchored the defense, while eighth-grader Madeline Mingo made several key saves in goal, showing composure beyond her years after stepping into the starting role earlier this season following an injury to senior keeper Emily Lucak.

Fellow eighth-grader Liliana Schoonmaker also impressed in the midfield, using her speed and footwork to create scoring opportunities.

Despite the Bears’ strong effort, Rhinebeck’s offense surged late. The Hawks scored three unanswered goals — from Maura Cuyler, Lexi Torres, and Lark Wright — to take control and secure the 4–2 victory.

Tri-Valley nearly closed the gap with a pair of late chances that struck the crossbar but couldn’t find the back of the net.

After the disappointing loss and end to their season, Tri- Valley Coach Kayla Connolly had this to say –  “I feel like overall we had a really good season… we had our starting goalie, who’s a senior, get injured early in the season, so       I took her out for the entire season…so this was actually our 8th-grade back-up goalie, who did phenomenal… It’s not the outcome obviously that they wanted, but I feel like they didn’t really give up… and the seniors hopefully realize that they went out strong, even though it’s not the outcome that they wanted.” 

The Bears closed their season with a 10–5–1 record, showcasing a blend of veteran leadership and promising young talent. Rhinebeck advanced to face Burke Catholic in the sectional championship.