Eastside Catholic made a loud statement Tuesday night, shutting out Kennedy Catholic high school 3-0 in a non-league girls varsity soccer matchup. The Crusaders controlled the evening from the outset, turning a competitive early-season meeting into a convincing victory and improving to 1-0-1 on the young season. For Kennedy Catholic, the result was a setback after the Lancers who had opened their 2026 season with an impressive 4-0 victory over West Seattle just days earlier.
The victory was particularly encouraging for Eastside Catholic after the Crusaders started the season with a 1-1 draw against Mercer Island. Eastside Catholic’s ability to keep Kennedy Catholic off the scoreboard provided an early glimpse of the defensive discipline that could become a defining characteristic for this top 3A team. The Crusaders are coming off a 2025 season in which they reached the state tournament semifinals, raising expectations for another deep postseason run in 2026.
Kennedy Catholic entered the match with momentum after scoring four goals against West Seattle in its opener. The Lancers, who compete at the 4A level in the North Puget Sound League, were unable to reproduce that offensive production against an Eastside Catholic defense that recorded the shutout. Despite the loss, Kennedy Catholic has plenty of season remaining, with another road test against Stadium coming Thursday.
For Eastside Catholic, the victory sets up an immediate test of just how quickly this year’s squad can establish itself among the area’s top programs. The Crusaders travel to face Bellevue on Thursday at 7:30 p.m., giving them little time to celebrate Tuesday’s win before facing another formidable opponent. If Eastside Catholic can carry the confidence and defensive consistency from the Kennedy Catholic match into that contest, the Bellevue game could provide an even clearer indication of the Crusaders’ potential in 2026.