It was a battle figuring out Monticello’s Austin Haverstrom on faceoff’s, so Charlottesville had to make up the possession difference some how. The Black Knights did so in the second half as they took control in the ground ball game. Behind that effort, Charlottesville has as good a third quarter as they could ask for. Thanks to that frame where they outscored their host 5-0, the Black Knights were able to hang on late and pick up a 14-12 win.
“What it came down to was that we weren’t aggressive enough on the ground balls in the first half,” said Charlottesville coach Doug Gaspar. “In the second and we came out and wanted it. Our defense came up strong but that fourth quarter almost got away from us.”
Things were tight until the big third quarter run, and got close again late in the fourth. The Black Knights took a 3-2 lead in the first, but a 4-2 response in the second by the Mustangs gave the home team at 6-5 edge going into the break.
The 5-0 run changed the tone of the game. It started with Tommy Sadler and Will Werner scoring and then assisting each other in that order. Then Sadler then found Ephraim Antwi to make it 8-6. Then Nick Pahuta picked up his fifth and sixth goals of the night after scoring four of his team’s first five. In just 12 minutes, Charlottesville went from down 6-5 to up 10-6.
“We moved the ball really well and we got the looks up top that we needed because Will and Tommy were moving so well,” Pahuta said. “The defense was focused on them so it opened up for the rest of us.”
Monticello recovered in the fourth and found a way to make things interesting as they outscored CHS 6-4 to make it a 1-goal game midway through the final frame. It was there that Haverstrom had two of his three goals on the night and with Brian Young and Alex Norris both scoring, the CHS lead was within striking distance.
“(Haverstrom) plays with heart and good character,” said Monticello coach Tucker Tapscott. “He makes all the plays he needs to. But we didn’t have enough to capitalize on that.”
Charlottesville picked up three goals down the stretch, and the last while while it was a man-up off a penalty committed after a go-ahead goal from Werner. Pahuta’s seventh goal gave Charlottesville the insurance it needed and the Black Knights were able to run out the clock to finish the game.
“I pride myself on coaching good character and unfortunately we did not display that tonight,” said Tapscott.
Pahuta had a game best seven goals. Werner had a ridiculous line of four goals and seven assists. Sadler had a goal and three assists.
For Monticello, Haverstrom had three goals and four assists to go with 14 faceoff wins. Young had three goals and two assists. Jolly Paxton had three goals and an assist.
