Owen playoff victory sets up third-round Western Highlands Conference clash
No. 10 Warlassies outlast No. 7 East Rutherford, 3-2, on the road
Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
May 15, 2026
The No. 10 seed Owen Warlassies will compete in the third round of the NCHSAA 3A State Women’s Soccer Playoffs, May 18, following a 3-2 victory over No. 7 East Rutherford. Photo by Fred McCormick
It would require an uphill battle to continue its postseason journey, May 14, as 10th seeded Owen traveled to Bostic for a second-round match against No. 7 East Rutherford.
The Warlassies emerged victorious, following a 3-2 victory over the Cavaliers in round two of the 2026 NCHSAA 3A Women’s Soccer State Playoffs, setting the stage for a third-round matchup with a familiar foe.
Owen, which opened the tournament, May 11, with a 10-0 home win against Mount Airy, took an 11-7-2 mark to Bryan Harrill Stadium to face an East Rutherford program that finished the regular season 15-5-2, earning a first-round bye in the playoffs.
The Warlassies seized the lead when senior Natalie Orellana-Galdamez recognized an opportunity to feed junior Lily Berry, who scored her team-leading 22nd goal of the campaign. Owen maintained the advantage until the Cavaliers responded with a tying goal in the final minute of the half.
Sophomore Carlee Grace Stewart put the Warlassies ahead again early in second half, taking an assist from Berry to convert her 18th goal of the season. Owen held the 2-1 advantage through the midway point of the half, before East Rutherford forced a mistake in its opponent’s defensive territory, tying the match for the second time.
“We made two mistakes, one on a set piece, another by holding the ball too long in our defensive third, and they made us pay both times,” Owen head coach Trei Morrison said. “That’s what happens when you’re facing really good tams in the playoffs.”
The Warlassies responded in 78th minute when Stewart got the ball to junior Sadie Lyda, who drilled her 11th goal of the season.
“We got goals from the players you would expect,” Morrison said. “Those are our top scorers, and if you notice, just when Lily and Carlee scored their first goals, they created opportunities for others to score. We were calm, made the right decisions and managed the game really well through the end.”
The match marked a postseason test for the Warlassies, who are advancing to the third round for the first time since 2024.
“It was a physical battle, especially in the midfield,” Morrison said. “They tried to muscle us and dominate the midfield, and we had to overcome that. We did that well.”
Owen, one of three Western Highlands Conference teams remaining in the West Region bracket, will travel to Hendersonville for a match at 6 p.m., Monday, May 18, against the No. 2 seed Bearcats. The Warlassies were 0-2 against Hendersonville in the regular season.
“My belief is that it’s really hard to beat an opponent three times in a season,” Morrison said. “We have to really believe in ourselves as a team, and some as individuals. Slowly but surely we’re coming around, and when you look at their effort against East Rutherford, you can see that.”
The Warlassies will need to play with confidence to upset the Bearcats, he added.
“We have to play solid defense, especially in transition, because we can’t let them win a ball and play direct, because they can be very dangerous,” Morrison said. “Our attack is clicking, so no matter who we play we’ll be dangerous. We have 16 players who have scored goals this season, so all the tools are there, we just have to believe that this game is one we should win.”