Raiders girls soccer team falls short against White River

Vibes were about as high as they could be for the Thomas Jefferson High School girls soccer team back on Nov. 1 after the Raiders went down to South Sound Stadium in Lacey and beat the 6th seeded Timberline Blazers, 1-0.

The Raiders won their second playoff game in the span of three years and were one game away from the state tournament, grounds they haven’t been to since 2006. The one team that stood in their way was the White River Hornets, which the Raiders were playing for the third time in 2025.

The good vibes ran out on a cold Nov. 4 night as the Raiders fell 3-1 to White River at Mount Tahoma High School, putting the Raiders’ state tournament hopes in jeopardy.

“I thought we had 15 minutes of playing down and that is when we got killed. Those three goals came in 15 minutes. It sucks when we don’t play a full 80 minutes at the top of our game. I thought when we came back out in the second half, they were so strong. I thought in the second half we dominated,” Head Coach Sydney Banyai said.

White River was the NPSL champ and riding an 11-game win streak heading into the 3A West Central District tournament as the No. 3 seed. The Hornets had also outscored Thomas Jefferson by a combined 8-0 in their two meetings this season.

Jordynn Koria clears the ball for Thomas Jefferson against White River. Photo by Ben Ray/The Mirror

The familiarity factor could have played a role for the Raiders, but in reality, the Raiders just fell short. Inside the first 10 minutes, White River scored the first goal of the game. A missed rotation left Lillian Banks in a one-on-one dance with goalkeeper Anna Vincent. Banks put her shot in the bottom corner to give White River a 1-0 lead.

Despite the deficit, Thomas Jefferson played some of their best soccer of the game over the next 20 minutes. In the 28th minute, an errant pass from White River goalkeeper Charlee Sproed found the feet of Athena Amor Katsaros. The Raider midfielder took a long-range shot that Sproed had to save. Sproed couldn’t quite handle the shot and bobbled it, and Marietta Redmond crashed on the opportunity, colliding with Sproed.

Sproed was shaken up and favored her right leg following the collision, and stayed in the game.

But instead of keeping the pressure on as they had, Thomas Jefferson let off the gas and White River took advantage.

White River senior forward Jordyn Daigle found open space outside the 18-yard box and rifled her shot into the back of the net to double the Hornet lead in the 33rd minute. Not one minute later, Daigle won a loose ball and found even more space than her first goal. She beat Vincent again to really assert White River’s dominance.

The lapse in focus cost the Raiders and frustrated the group because they had been so close to knocking down the door against White River.

Claire Kasperson controls the ball for the Raiders. Photo by Ben Ray/The Mirror

But in the second half, Thomas Jefferson found their form. Banyai switched up personnel with Jordynn Koria moving to center back. Callie Moore went into the attack and Malieta Redmond and Katsaros flipped sides.

The winning combination found the back of the net in the 50th minute. Redmond used her breakaway speed to send a cross from the right side into the penalty area, and Jazmyne DuBose was there to direct the ball into the back of the net.

“I saw the want from Jaz and Mashi. We had been working all week on finishing our crosses, being in the 18 and being there when our wingers are sending those crosses in. Our wingers send beautiful balls in and we just never finish them,” Banyai said. “Jaz wanted to be that person for her teammates in wanting that goal, it was a great goal.”

Down two goals, the Raiders felt the energy and White River felt the pressure. But the Hornets’ defense held strong and frustrated the Raiders’ attack, which stalled out, with Thomas Jefferson headed to the consolation bracket.

“I think they took their frustration and turned it into drive,” Banyai said. “They tried their best in that last 40 minutes, but you can’t be a one half team and beat a top performing team.”

The road doesn’t get any easier, but it get more familiar. Thomas Jefferson takes on Decatur, a team reeling after their first-round loss to Bellarmine. The Raiders have had recent success against the Gators, a game that kick-started their hot play down the stretch. A 3-2 win on Oct. 2 got the Raiders on track. They’ll need to bottle up their frustration and use it on the Gators to keep their state dreams alive.

“If they come and be the team they know they are, they will win. If they choose to play their game, they will win. I guess we just have to see how they will show up. I think especially with tonight’s loss, they are going to light a fire under them. I think they will show up,” Banyai said.

The Raiders and Decatur will fight to keep their season alive on Nov. 6 at Federal Way Memorial Field.