The scoring opportunities for both sides were largely limited with both Monticello’s and Charlottesville back line defenders controlling the game. But on a night where conditions were slick, it seemed only fitting that a bounce, one way or the other, would decide the contest. With a little set up help from Kristen Grimshaw, Samantha Payne was the one who took advantage of the misty weather, to help lead the Mustangs over the Black Knights, 2-0.
“I think we’ve had a little bit of a psychological disadvantage against Charlottesville over the years,” said Monticello coach Paul Burrows. “Sometimes the girls would beat themselves over the head last year even though I thought we were fairly evenly matched. I think we got over the hump today, that we’ve got some good things to come now.”
Sixty minutes went by before the scoreless tie was broken. In the first half, the scoring opportunities were even at three a piece with almost all of them coming from far away from the net. After a flurry of corner kicks for both to end the first half, the tempo of the second half looked no different than the frame that preceded. While Cary Wingo was the lockdown defender for Monticello, Althea Pickering and Anne Shaffrey locked up the otherside of the field for Charlottesville.
“It’s been a funny season, a little weird the way it’s started,” said Charlottesville coach Fernando Opere. “But I was happy with the way we played, it was much better than what we’ve done before. We played a nice ball control game. We just didn’t have that for a few minutes there, and that’s soccer.”
Things changed when Grimshaw broke loose with 20 minutes to play. When it looked like Grimshaw was going to crank a shot of her own, the senior found Payne flying in towards the goal. Payne put a leg on it and after a fortunate bounce, the Mustangs were on the board.
“We had a lot of runs and were connecting our passes (at that point in the game),” Payne said. “We finally slipped a ball through and I got a really nice pass from Kristen and slotted it on the backside of the net with my left foot. I was just lucky with it being wet it slipped through the keepers hands.”
Charlottesville tried to push through offensively quickly after that, producing an opportunity with a frenzy in front of the goal on a loose ball with 15 minutes left. However Monticello’s defense rose to the occasion and kept everything after that to the outside and far away from the goal.
“We limited the opportunities and our back four were exceptional today,” Burrows said. “Hannah Keith and Cary Wingo were just outstanding, played an amazing game back there.”
In final seconds of the game, the Mustangs earned a penalty kick on a breakaway. Grimshaw punched in the PK with authority to cement the win.
“She’s a warhorse, plays every single minute for us,” Burrows said. “She controlled the game for us.”
Charlottesville (2-3, 1-2 Jefferson District) travels to Harrisonburg on Wednesday at 7 p.m.
Monticello (6-0-1, 2-0) travels to Western Albemarle for an opportunity to take sole possession of first place in the JD standings.
