Annapolis, MD – The Rough Riders entered the 2025 USL W League season with one mission: defend their Metropolitan Conference title and make a deeper push in the national playoffs.
After a rocky 2–2 start, their playoff hopes looked uncertain. But when it mattered most, Long Island found another gear. They closed the regular season with four straight wins, including crucial victories over Cedar Stars and Morris Elite. On the final day, they delivered their most dominant performance of the year — a 5–0 rout of Manhattan SC — to clinch their fourth consecutive playoff berth and a second straight Metropolitan Conference championship.
In the Eastern Conference Semifinal, the Rough Riders faced a tough Annapolis Blues FC squad. Despite controlling long stretches of the match, they couldn’t convert their chances. Annapolis made theirs count, with Kelsey Smith scoring twice — once early, and again in stoppage time — to hand Long Island a 2–0 defeat in front of a crowd of 3,400.
The Rough Riders leaned on a core group of experienced returners from their 2024 squad — including Alyssa Abramson, Fiona Killian, Natalie Medugno, Gabriella Marte, and Caroline Nuttall — all of whom played pivotal roles in securing back-to-back Metropolitan Conference championships. Their leadership and consistency anchored the team throughout the season. At the same time, the emergence of new impact players like Mathilde Braithwaite and Salma Simonin added fresh energy and quality, helping to elevate the squad and push the Rough Riders to another successful campaign.
While the playoff exit stings, the 2025 season was another strong chapter for the Rough Riders. They played fast, attacking soccer, developed young talent, and reinforced their status as one of the USL W League’s most respected clubs. With a solid foundation and a winning culture, there’s every reason to believe they’ll be back in the title hunt next year.
Keep up with the Rough Riders’ latest news at www.LIRoughRiders.com