The Elizabethton Lady Cyclones soccer team delivered a statement win Thursday night, defeating Greeneville 2-1 to claim the Region 1-AA Championship in front of a packed home crowd. The victory marks another milestone in what has been an incredible postseason run for the Cyclones, who continue to find ways to rise to the occasion.

Greeneville wasted no time striking first, finding the net in just the second minute when Matea Gray slipped one past the defense to give the Lady Devils an early 1-0 advantage. But Elizabethton didn't flinch. Only seven minutes later, Arvella Nave broke through the Greeneville back line on a breakaway and fired home the equalizer, igniting the Betsy faithful.

The teams battled through a physical, back-and-forth first half, entering the break tied 1-1. Ten minutes into the second half, the game's momentum swung in Elizabethton's favor. A Greeneville handball inside the box awarded the Lady Cyclones a penalty kick, and Izzy Lewis capitalized under pressure, calmly burying the shot to give Elizabethton a 2-1 lead.

From that point on, the Lady Cyclones' defense stood tall. Elizabethton goalkeeper Abby Krawczyk turned in one of her best performances of the season, stopping multiple close-range shots and making clutch saves late to keep Greeneville off the board. The back line also held firm, frustrating Greeneville's attack and protecting the one-goal advantage until the final whistle.

As the clock hit zero, the home crowd erupted, celebrating a hard-fought Regional Championship for the Lady Cyclones.

This win marks the first Regional Championship since 2011, and the first Sectional appearance for the Lady Cyclones since 2021

With the win, Elizabethton advances to the Class AA Sectional, where they'll host the Gibbs Eagles on Saturday at 10:30 AM. The winner will punch their ticket to the TSSAA State Tournament, and the Lady Cyclones will look to keep their postseason dream alive on their home turf.