Kailey McMahon and Teagan Baker were free-roaming freshmen in 2024. They connected for the winning goal in a 2-1 state championship victory over Smyrna at Wesley College.

After that game, assistant coach Tracy Griesbaum said, "They are freshman. Just need open space to run and play. It's different than defense where there’s more pressure on each hit.”

“I remember that,” McMahon said after she and Baker scored the first two goals of the Sept. 29 10-0 win over Polytech at Champions Stadium. McMahon also scored the winning goal in overtime Sept. 24, in a 2-1 win over Smyrna.

“No time to think; it's all instinct,” McMahon said. “I don’t even like drills in practice where we have to push the ball around cones. I like to run and attack.”

Baker is not as mercurial as McMahon; she's more a let-the-game-come-to-you type of player. She had a goal and an assist against the Panthers.

Madori Torres, a freshman, had her first two varsity goals in the game, and Hazel Mancaro scored her second goal of the season. 

Mackenzie Todd, who started her high school career at Polytech, scored two goals. Single-goal scorers were Grace Heers, Emily Wells and Atia Sabbagh.  

Polytech goalie Sabrina Siaca was credited with 26 saves. The Vikings outshot the Panthers 40-0, with a 15-0 advantage in penalty corners.

Cape (7-0) will host undefeated Tower Hill (6-0) at 11 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 3. 

Notes: Tower Hill beat Cape 2-0 in the quarterfinals of the state tournament in 2016, snapping the Vikings' win streak against Delaware opponents at 100 games. Since then, Cape has won six straight head-to-head games, all shutouts, by a combined score of 23-0.