NYACK - According to Hannah Jachman, music today simply "doesn't hit like it used to" more than a decade ago.
That was the explanation of why the road trip playlist likely will go heavy on Nicki Minaj and Childish Gambino songs that aren't exactly oldies but were released around the time the Rye freshman was born.
"That era had the best songs, and we only play the classics," the forward said with a grin, as a group of teammates in the distance danced to the tunes playing in their heads.
Keenan, Reese Lejuez, Iciar Garate and Jillian DeSanto each scored and the defense excelled, leading the Garnets to a thorough 4-0 win over Section 9's New Paltz in a Class A girls soccer subregional.
Rye excited to make a big splash in state tournament
That was the scene Wednesday evening at Nyack High School, and these are the kind of conversations that are had after a team has again earned the right to make travel arrangements.
"It's exciting," Charlotte Keenan said. "We did really well last year and that inspired us to want to get even better. We set a high standard and we want to keep it up."
Well, the defending state champions might even be raising the bar.
Rye (18-2-1) advances to face Section 4's Chenango Valley in the regional final Saturday, 4 p.m. at Union-Endicott High School. That three-hour bus ride to the Binghamton area could be a prelude a four-hour trip to Cortland the following weekend.
But, of course, it's one step at a time.
"We're confident and trust each other," senior Ava Cross said, "but we're not cocky. Our coach always reminds us that, just because you were great last year doesn't guarantee you'll be successful. Other teams are also working hard to get better, and new competition comes up."
New Paltz is an example of that. The Huguenots enjoyed a breakthrough season, winning their first section title since 2004.
But the Garnets remained a buzzsaw, proving again why they're the top-ranked Class A team, according to the New York State Sportswriters Association. They dominated possession from the outset and applied almost constant pressure.
How Rye girls soccer advanced
Lejuez put Rye on the board 16:31 before halftime, collecting a rebound in a scrum after a corner kick and sending a roller into the left corner. Keenan scored with five minutes left in the half.
That, while the Garnets midfield and defense seldom allowed New Paltz quality runs and few good shot opportunities. Clare Nemsick did well in covering Huguenots star Malana Douglas.
"A lot of it is communication, shifting and covering our marks," said Cross, who anchored the back line with Mary Sack. "We work well together."
Their camaraderie, which extends beyond the field and dates to elementary school for many of them, is one of the keys to their success, Keenan said. As is the liveliness of their sideline. And the team bus, where those 2010 throwbacks will be used as hype music. ("The clean versions!" Keenan interjected.)
"We knew that (Douglas) and (Maki Pine) were big offensive threats and we gave special attention to them," Garnets coach Rich Savage said of slowing New Paltz. "They're tough to stop once they turn, so we tried our best to keep them off the ball."
Garate scored three minutes into the second half to make it 3-0, and DeSanto created the margin with 29:57 remaining. Annika Walsh made 13 saves for the Huguenots (13-4).
"I'm incredibly proud of them and happy they got to experience winning a championship and competing at this level against a team of that caliber," New Paltz coach Keith Walker said of his players. "They're down right now, understandably, but there's an understanding of the situation. Long-term, we'll benefit from having faced the No. 1 team."