In a rematch of last year’s Class 1A state title game at Benilde-St. Margaret's High School on Tuesday, a hungry Orono team was applying plenty of pressure on the reigning champion Red Knights in the opening minutes.

“Anytime we play Orono -- it’s a longtime rivalry -- we’re always a little anxious,” Benilde-St. Margaret’s coach Scott Helling-Christy said. “(The Spartans) were definitely controlling the ball and we were chasing it around.”

Enter senior captain Elizabeth Ambre, who was praised by Christy and teammates for possessing a positive and inclusiveness attitude that brings the team together.

Although she didn't find the net against the Spartans, Ambre contributed two assists -- well, three if you count her help in relieving her team's early jitters by providing a leadership and calming presence -- in the Red Knights' 4-1 victory.

“She’s very engaging for the players and really easy to talk to,” Christy said. “She knows how to bring the team together.”

Ambre did so at least four times Tuesday night, gathering her teammates after every goal to celebrate. However, she also excelled as a distributor.

Relying on her experience as a second-year starter in the midfield, Ambre began laying out opportune passes as the speed of the game climbed, including a through ball that Madison Stoks converted for the contest's opening goal.

“Elizabeth sent me the through ball, I saw the keeper was a little far out, looked at the far post and gave it a boot,” Stoks said.

It was a scoring chance Ambre was confident the junior would create and finish.

“(Stoks’) really good about finding those gaps behind the defense and I love to slot the ball to her every time,” she said.

Stoks scored again in the second half and finished the game with two goals.

Ambre’s enthusiasm aided Benilde-St. Margaret’s (3-1), which is ranked second in the Class 1A coaches’ poll, through a sluggish start, but once the Red Knights found the net, they never gave up the lead.

“Being a captain for such a great program, it’s important that the captains play a positive leadership role on the field,” Ambre said.

Benilde-St. Margaret’s appears to be back on track after suffering a 2-0 loss to Hill-Murray last week, its first defeat of the season.

It's been nearly a year since the Red Knights (3-1) were shut out, falling in a 1-0 defensive gridlock with Edina. It was Benilde-St. Margaret's only loss of the season, as the team went on to win it's third state crown.

The Red Knights were missing star players Vivian Shinall and Claire Van der Heide on its run last year, but the duo is back and that added depth is crucial as the team looks to overcome the graduation of Class 1A Ms. Soccer award winner Aleksa Tataryn and Sophie Roux.

Ambre said the third-ranked Spartans (1-2) have a team similar to the one that finished as state runners-up last year and that Benilde-St. Margaret’s will need to replicate Tuesday's performance in every game the rest of the season to defend its title.

The Red Knights will also need Ambre to provide leadership and ease the stress that accompany such high expectations. 

“I think having a good relationship with your teammates and having that team chemistry is crucial,” Ambre said.

Madison Stoks scored twice and Elizabeth Ambre tallied two assists in Benilde-St. Margaret’s 4-1 home victory over rival Orono Tuesday night in St. Louis Park.

The Red Knights (3-1), ranked No. 2 in the Class 1A coaches’ poll, have posted eight goals in their last two games with the Spartans, including a 4-2 victory over Orono in last season's Class 1A state title game. 

Ambre jumpstarted Benilde-St. Margaret’s in each half of Tuesday’s rematch with two beautiful through balls. Her first set up Stoks’ first goal, which came 18 minutes into the game, while her second went to Brook Ferrer, who scored just six minutes into the second half to give the Red Knights a 3-0 lead.

Sarah Johnston answered with a goal for Orono just two minutes later, but the No. 3-1A Spartans (1-2) couldn’t cut the deficit any more.