CHARLOTTE – No letup, no letdown.
Say what you will about seeding for the NCISAA 4-A soccer playoffs. The brackets put Christ School on a collision course to exorcise a prior disappointment in the quarterfinal round.
The potent left foot of Vytis Rimkus ’29 led to all three goals in Thursday's 3-1 win at Charlotte Latin – two set up by his corner kicks, the third being a goal from the sophomore from Lithuania. And unlike a 2-2 loss (4-3 on penalties) from August 12, on the same field as Thursday, the sixth-seeded Greenies did not relent in ending the No. 3 Hawks’ season.
Christ School (16-2-2) advances to play either No. 2 Charlotte Country Day (15-3) or No. 7 High Point Wesleyan Christian Academy (17-6) on Tuesday.
Thursday had echoes of the first meeting between the Greenies and Hawks (14-6). Christ School had also jumped out to a 2-0 lead two months ago, only to give up the tying goals in regulation and have the nonconference game decided by a shootout.
Not this time.
Vytis assisted a header by Wyatt Haddock at the 5:54 mark, and then did much of the work a minute later, when he took possession near midfield and shot as three defenders trailed. It was the 11th goal of the season for Vytis, a first-year varsity player who leads the Greenies with 12 assists.
With just over 10 minutes until halftime, the Hawks halved the lead to 2-1 on a penalty kick. Jameson Dow '27 (four saves) continues to play splendidly in goal for the Greenies but was assessed a yellow card for a hard challenge.
Charlotte Latin’s momentum would not last.
Lachlan Douglas ‘28 found the ball at his feet with only 9 seconds remaining in the first half. He smoked a shot from about 30 yards out to make the score, 3-1, and neither offense was able to make any inroads from that point on.
Dominic Rose ’28 and Davis Campbell ’29 were credited with assists Thursday.