Girls' Soccer: P.K. Yonge senior Karuna Leslie helps Blue Wave over Williston 9-0

P.K. Yonge's girls' soccer team celebrated its seven seniors with a 9-0 shutout victory over the visiting Williston Red Devils (0-14) on Tuesday night, improving the Blue Wave to 10-1-1 on the season.

Kicking off senior night

P.K. Yonge senior Tes Berelsman hadn't seen one minute of playing time on the season coming into the Blue Wave's match against the Red Devils after suffering an ACL tear earlier in the year.

However, P.K. Yonge ensured that Berelsman felt included in Tuesday night's senior celebrations.

For the first time all season, Berelsman suited up and took the field for the match's opening kickoff, where she sent one kick back to a teammate before taking a knee and being subbed out.

"This was her only second on the field her senior season," said P.K. Yonge head coach Rebecca Schackow. "It was super emotional. It really caught all of us by surprise because we were so excited for her and then we saw it happened and we were all emotional."

Blue Wave rolls quick

P.K. Yonge wasted no time in jumping out in front of Williston as senior Karuna Leslie sent a goal to the back of the net after just two minutes of play.

Less than two minutes after taking a one-goal advantage, the Blue Wave struck again with a goal off the foot of senior Sally Schackow, assisted by freshman Faith Hardy.

Just six minutes following kickoff, P.K. Yonge found itself sitting comfortably with a 3-0 lead after senior Juliana Holsbeke successfully converted a penalty kick with 34:30 to play in the opening period.

In a continuous relentless attack, the Blue Wave put up nine first-half goals to mercy rule the Red Devils and end the game at halftime.

While seniors Livia Mendes, Abi Patterson (goal, assist), Sally Schackow and Holsbeke each scored a goal, Leslie bagged a hat trick with a trio of goals.

"She shows up ready," Rebecca Schackow said of Leslie. "She's very present. She's loyal and committed and she shows up. I plan a good practice, I'm surrounded by a great coaching staff and helpers. And we're ready to pour in. But you have to show up and want to do it. And she does."

Freshmen Emma Mansfield (goal, 2 assists) and Hardy (goal, 3 assists) also scored a goal each.

P.K. Yonge eyes district tournament

Tuesday night wasn't the first time the Blue Wave forced a premature ending to a match. The last four of P.K. Yonge's wins have come via mercy rule.

Meanwhile, the Blue Wave has shut out its opponent in nine of its 12 matches.

And as impressive as that seems, it comes with the possibility of complacency — something Coach Schackow is quick to prevent with her team.

"We just talk about it," Schackow said. "We just call it. This is a great game, but we are very real about it. Like, 'Do you think you got to run and get as many touches as you usually do? Do you think you improved tonight?' We treat each game, whether easy, medium or hard, like a game we need to get something out of and grow."

P.K. Yonge has one more regular season match on its schedule: Florida State University High School (8-2-3) at 5 on Friday night.

Beyond that, the Blue Wave will prepare for the district tournament, which will be hosted at Newberry. In the districts, P.K. Yonge could see Ocala Trinity Catholic and/or Newberry — two teams the Blue Wave hasn't faced this season.

"I expect one or both of those games to be more challenging than we think," Schackow said. "There's just that mystery involved in it. So we're just trying to stay super sharp, super fit and every single practice and game, we're trying to push ourselves to learn something new."

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Girls' Soccer: Senior showcase helps P.K. Yonge down Williston 9-0