Warriors reach first championship in program history with physicality and defense in 1-0 semifinal win over Creswell
Opponents would be wary of letting them in. They are physical, fast and have no problem scoring at will. Ranked No. 2 in OSAA’s division of small schools, Amity’s girls varsity soccer team led their conference with 86 goals. They also play momentum-stopping defense and have a senior in Eliza Nisly who has planted herself in the record books as one of the few female high school soccer players to score over 100 career goals.
The Warriors are used to scoring with ease, but when pressure was brought on by the No. 3 Creswell Bulldogs at Wortman Stadium on Tuesday afternoon, they handled it with grace.
Nisly notched a penalty kick in the 12th minute, and for 68 more minutes Amity held onto its minimal lead, winning 1-0 and becoming the first girls soccer team in school history to reach the championship. They also became the first public school without an attached co-op in the six-class era to reach the 3A/2A/1A State Championship game.
It was the first time all season Amity played to a 1-0 score.
“I can’t really believe it,” Nisly said after being congratulated by a wave of Amity supporters. “We had confidence that we could win, but when it’s actually happening, it’s insane. I’m just happy for everyone.”
Amity’s senior goalie, and the Special District 2 Goalie of the Year Kylie Wilson, was also at a loss for words after the match. During four years of competing on the soccer field, the Warriors came closest with a semifinal exit against Caitlin Gabel in 2023. Amity was ranked No. 3 that year, the highest since this season’s placement.
They had reached the semis in 2022 as well, but failed to tally a goal against Caitlin Gabel. Last season, Oregon Episcopal knocked the Warriors out in the first round. It left a bitter taste, and in 2025, with a group of seniors who have built lasting relationships, they refused to let anyone stop them.
“It doesn’t even feel real,” Wilson said. “We’ve been working for it for so long. I’ve grown up with this team. They’re all my best friends. They’re my basketball team. They’re my track team, so it’s just great to do it with them.”
The game itself was tight. Amity found an early buffer thanks to Nisly’s goal, one she felt confident in taking after having extensive practice against Wilson, who she humbly named as a “really good goalie.”
“I set up, and I was looking (Creswell’s goalie) in the eyes, and she was trying to intimidate me. But I just react to which way she leans, and she leaned the wrong way, so it felt pretty good,” Nisly described.
From that moment, the Bulldogs found room to work in Amity’s half for the rest of the first. Creswell’s attacking play forced aggression from the Warriors — a quality they already self-admittedly possess but used with regularity to get the Bulldogs off the ball.
Creswell’s supporters cried out for cards to be issued as a few Bulldogs tumbled to the ground, but the only yellow was shown to sophomore defender Teagan Russell in the 30th minute. The ensuing free kick was lofted high by the Bulldogs towards the net, but Wilson corralled the shot as it trailed right of goal.
With intermittent possession, Amity’s senior midfielder Adie Nisly found a shot in the final minute of the half that went wide. The teams went to halftime for a reprieve, and the Warriors entered the second with invaluable performances from their backline to hold their lead.
Junior defender Grace Ulloa stood out to Head Coach Andy Dyer, who praised her ability to lock down Creswell’s best attacker and force the Bulldogs to the corners, rather than allowing chances in the middle of the field.
“We definitely had to keep our physicality up and keep up good communication,” Ulloa said. “We had to stay strong, hold our line and be confident in ourselves.”
Amity’s cohesion and unflappable nature kept them afloat. Forcing Creswell to the outside did result in several corner kicks. But Wilson handled the chances with ease, swallowing the opportunities with hands that not even light could escape from.
As the Warriors entered the counter-attack, adjustments led to more shots on goal. The Bulldogs were marking Eliza Nisly all game, and Dyer let her roam free in the second half, choosing her own orbit. Senior Emma Northrop also shifted, moving from the midfield to the forward position to match Creswell’s intensity in their defensive half. The Bulldogs were clogging the middle of the field, which meant senior forward Haley Miersma also moved to making more attacks from the wings.
Though the changes did not result in goals, Adie, Eliza, Miersma and senior Lyliana Rideout all had chances. Miersma’s shot was the loudest, clanging off the top post before being cleared out of bounds.
In the 44th minute, Russell found the net on a looping header over the goalie, but it was called back with an offside flag from the far-side official after an extended celebration by the crowd.
In the final 10 minutes, with Creswell fighting for their season, Rideout and fellow senior Rachel Dyer had shots near the goal, further putting stress on the Bulldogs. Ultimately, the time spent defending against Amity’s prominent scorers took moments away from Creswell, resulting in a championship appearance for the Warriors.
When the match was over, the Warriors held hands and took a long walk to the stands to thank the home crowd. They were met with cheers, smiles and hugs; but before greeting family, they celebrated with Amity’s youth girls soccer players, who shagged balls during the match.
With one game left, there’s much appreciation for the time spent grinding for success they finally achieved. Since kindergarten, Amity’s seniors have grown up playing soccer together. The opportunity to realize their dreams and be a role model for future generations made the moment worthwhile.
“I love that we get to do it with this team,” Eliza Nisly said. “We’ve got this far, and it shows that we really trust each other, and it’s also special to the community. You can see all those little girls that are watching us and cheering for us, and, hopefully, we’re an inspiration to them.”
Making the moment sweeter was the fact they had to earn it. Including Tuesday, Amity has 11 shutouts on the season but has only played two games where the final difference was one score (Sept. 3 versus Oregon Episcopal and Sept. 9 against Blanchet Catholic). The Warriors won both, 4-3 and 3-2, respectively.
“We got tested a lot and they were definitely one of the best teams we’ve played this year,” Eliza Nisly said. “We played a lot of defense, and there were some really stressful times, but trusting in each other and keeping our composure was always really important in getting us back out in front.”
The championship is slated for 1 p.m. on Saturday at Liberty High School in Hillsboro. The task at hand for Amity will be No. 1 Valley Catholic, a squad they previously met and defeated on Sept. 23. Amity won 2-0 and expects nothing but the best from their opponent this time around.
The game can be viewed with a subscription via the NFHS Network or listened to at amitysports.podbean.com.
When considering what must be done to come out victorious, Dyer could not pinpoint one aspect, but said the team will need to stay physical and continue working for opportunities.
“We just have to play hard. We’ve played them, they’re phenomenal, and they’ll be ready for us. They know who we are,” Dyer said. “We’re happy about this, we’re going to celebrate, but we still got another game and we’ll be ready for it.”
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