From the moment Rose Lavelle laces up her boots, she’s a force to be reckoned with. But there’s something more, something deeper fueling her every step, every pass, every goal. It’s a legacy of grit and determination passed down from her grandmother, Judy Donnellon, a woman whose lessons in life have shaped Lavelle just as much as any coach ever has. Sadly, just hours before Gotham City faced Bay FC, Judy passed away. And Rose paid her tribute with a goal to Grandma Judy who once said, “Stand up for what you believe in; that is what I am proud of.“

Judy Donnellon’s health had taken a serious turn for the worse and didn’t have much time to live. Even when battling breast cancer and living in a nursing home in Ohio, Judy never missed a run or tackle of her granddaughter’s matches. She used to set alarms even at 3 AM, so she wouldn’t miss her little girl playing. She was always Rose’s biggest fan, her loudest cheerleader.

On Tuesday, Lavelle posted on Instagram, breaking the news of her grandmother’s passing, captioned, “Our fearless leader, you decorated our lives. 13 kids, 34 grandchildren, and 35 great grandkids. What an incredible life lived, and how lucky are we to have been a part of it.”  RIP to the woman who meant a lot to Lavelle and her family.

Grandma Judy has been a pillar, a matriarch in their large family, since Rose’s grandfather Charles “Red” Lavelle’s death. Notably, Charles was a star quarterback for Xavier in the 1940s. But, Rose is the first person in their family who booted up for soccer. In an interview from last February, Judy Donellon said,” Back then, girls didn’t play sports. If you played, it was always only for fun. Girls’ sports then was kickball.” So the legacy Rose Lavelle, the World Cup champ and Olympics gold medal winner, has made so far is itself a beautiful tribute to love, family, and the human spirit.

Now, the star midfielder’s header was so essential for Gotham’s 3 points from last game.

Lavelle helps Gotham ace past Bay FC to keep their winning streak

In the ninth minute, Jenna Nighswonger’s penalty kick gave Gotham the lead. But in the eighteenth minute, Asisat Oshoala of Bay, with help from Racheal Kundananji, equalized with a right-footed strike from the middle of the box.

It was in the second half, the 70th minute, that Rose Lavelle gave Gotham the lead again with a header from close range, with González, the substitution, providing the assist. Two minutes later, Emily Sonnett-assisted corner kick led to another goal by González, this time by header. González scored another goal in the 74th minute to quickly complete her brace.

In the 84th minute, Cece Kizer scored the fifth and final goal of the game for Gotham, adding to Bay’s problems. For Gotham (14-5-4), Ann-Katrin Berger made three saves. Bay (9-1-13) made many efforts to re-enter the race but was unable to exploit their opportunities. Dorian Bailey and Rachel Hill each had many shots that were just missed or saved.

Next up, NJ/NY Gotham FC meets the Chicago Red Stars on Oct. 12 at 4 p.m. ET. On October 12 at 10 p.m. ET, Bay FC and the Kansas City Current will play. The only difference will be that Rose doesn’t have her biggest supporter in the stands, but the impact she had on the USWNT stalwart will live on. Rest In Peace, Judy.