Riley Hat Trick Fuels Louisville’s Comeback Win at Copley 4-2 – Girls Soccer
Louisville 4, Copley 2
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The Louisville Leopards Girls Varsity Soccer Team stormed back from a two-goal deficit to defeat the host Copley Indians 4-2 Monday evening at Copley-Fairlawn Stadium. Louisville trailed 2-0 with less than 26 minutes remaining before erupting for four unanswered goals to improve to 3-0 on the season.
The comeback also avenged Louisville’s 1-0 loss at Copley in the 2025 DIII Northeast 4 District Semifinal that ended the Lady Leopards’ previous season.
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Riley Hat Trick Leads Leopards’ Comeback From 2-0 Down
Reese Riley took over in the second half, scoring three consecutive goals to turn a 2-0 deficit into a 3-2 Louisville advantage.
The comeback began with 25:22 remaining. Riley initially played the ball to Ava Seitz, who battled a Copley defender for possession in the corner before drawing another defender toward her. That opened space for Riley in the middle of the field, where Seitz found her for a clear opportunity. Riley fired into the left side of the net to cut the Copley lead to 2-1.
Louisville pulled even with 16:35 left following a key defensive play by Olivia Barthel. Barthel intercepted a Copley pass in the back third and launched the ball ahead to Riley, who was charging upfield just beyond midfield. Riley found a seam through the defense, carried the ball all the way into the box, and slipped a shot through the goalkeeper’s legs to knot the game at 2-2.
Riley completed the hat trick with 5:41 remaining. Addy Schmidt retrieved the ball in the left corner and sent it toward the center of the penalty box. The pass deflected twice off a Copley defender before taking an unfavorable bounce for the Indians into the middle of the box. Riley raced onto the loose ball and buried it into the left side of the net to give Louisville its first lead of the night at 3-2.
Riley’s three goals came in a span of 19:41 as the Lady Leopards completely flipped the momentum of the match.
Folk Adds Dagger Fourth Goal
Louisville delivered the finishing blow just 2:22 after taking the lead.
Seitz ran down a through ball in the right corner and crossed it through the box just beyond the reach of the diving Copley goalkeeper. The ball traveled all the way to the opposite side, where Haile Folk booted it into the back of the net to extend the advantage to 4-2 with 3:19 remaining.
Seitz finished with two assists, setting up Riley’s first goal and Folk’s insurance tally. Barthel and Schmidt also recorded assists during Louisville’s four-goal second-half surge.
The Lady Leopards scored all four of their goals during the final 25:22 of the contest after being held scoreless for more than 54 minutes.
Edgein, Leopards Defense Blanks Indians in Second Half
While the Louisville offense mounted its comeback, goalkeeper Tristyn Edgein and the Leopard defense kept Copley off the scoreboard throughout the second half.
Edgein finished with five saves and did not surrender a goal after halftime, allowing Louisville time to work its way back into the contest before eventually taking control late.
The second-half clean sheet proved especially important after Copley had built its two-goal cushion during the opening 40 minutes.
Young Scores Twice to Give Copley 2-0 Halftime Lead
Lexi Young accounted for both Copley goals in the first half.
Young opened the scoring just 4:09 into the match off an assist from Claire Maurer to put the Indians ahead 1-0.
Copley doubled its advantage shortly before halftime when Young scored again, this time off an assist from Hadyn Van Voorhis with 2:11 remaining. The goal sent the Indians into the break with a 2-0 lead and left Louisville needing its largest comeback of the young season.
The Lady Leopards answered by scoring four times after halftime while holding Copley scoreless to complete the 4-2 reversal.
Louisville Avenges 2025 District Semifinal Loss at Copley
Monday’s victory carried some added significance after Copley ended Louisville’s 2025 season on the same field.
The Indians defeated the Lady Leopards 1-0 in the DIII Northeast 4 District Semifinal on October 21, 2025. One year earlier, Louisville won 2-0 at Copley in their 2024 DIII Northeast 3 District Semifinal.
This year’s matchup marked the first regular-season meeting between the two schools and it once again took place at Copley-Fairlawn Stadium.
With the victory, Louisville now leads the all-time series 2-1. The Lady Leopards have outscored the Indians 6-3 across the three meetings and are now 2-1 all-time at Copley.
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UP NEXT: The Louisville Leopards Girls Soccer Team will next host the CVCA Royals on Saturday, September 5. Game time is set for 7:00 PM from Louisville Leopards Stadium.
Cover Photo By Rick Everhart Photography
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Louisville at Copley Girls Soccer Box Score
LEOPARDS 4, INDIANS 2
Team 1-2–TOTAL
Louisville 0-4–04
Copley 2-0–02
1st Half
COPLEY – Lexi Young (Claire Maurer) | LHS 0, CHS 1, 35:51
COPLEY – Lexi Young (Hadyn Van Voorhis) | LHS 0, CHS 2, 2:11
2nd Half
LOUISVILLE – Reese Riley (Ava Seitz) | LHS 1, CHS 2, 25:22
LOUISVILLE – Reese Riley (Olivia Barthel) | LHS 2, CHS 2, 16:35
LOUISVILLE – Reese Riley (Addy Schmidt) | LHS 3, CHS 2, 5:41
LOUISVILLE – Haile Folk (Ava Seitz) | LHS 4 CHS 2, 3:19
Records: Louisville 3-0, Copley 0-4-1
