By Luke Nadkarni / Scirmmageplay.com contributor
Black Knights edge Mustangs in Penalty Shootout
The Charlottesville girls soccer team had not scored a goal against Monticello this season, with a 2-0 loss and 0-0 draw at the hands of the Mustangs in two regular-season meetings. In the second Jefferson District semifinal, the Black Knights reversed their fortunes in a game decided by an 11-10 penalty shootout to advance to the district final on Thursday against Western Albemarle.
Eighty minutes of regulation and another 20 of extra time were not enough to separate the second-seeded Mustangs and third-seeded Knights, who got a goal apiece in each half for a 2-2 tie after regulation. The Knights struck first less than two minutes in on a shot from Grace Paine from the edge of the box. Genevieve Lewis answered for Monticello in the 15th minute, and the teams went into the break tied 1-1.
The teams exchanged goals midway through the second half for a 2-2 tie, and each team had several opportunities at the end of regulation and in extra time, but neither one could cash in and the game went into a shootout.
“It’s tough, but if we had kept on playing overtime we’d have been out here all night.” Monticello coach Paul Burrows said.
The Mustangs had the upper hand early when Charlottesville’s Caroline Bray missed the Knights’ first PK wide right. The first four Monticello shooters buried their shots, and the shootout score stood at 4-3 when Mary Elam stepped up to attempt the game-winner for the Mustangs. However, Charlottesville senior keeper Emily Lichtenberger came up huge, saving Elam’s shot, and the shootout continued.
The Mustangs cracked first at 8-8 when Elam once again failed to convert, and Charlottesville’s Eleanor Birle followed by finding the back of the net, punching the Knights’ ticket to the district championship.
“It was an emotional game,” Charlottesville coach Fernando Opere said. “[My team] played an excellent game, I’m very proud of them.”
Despite out on the losing end, Burrows was thrilled with how his Monticello squad has approached this year’s season.
“They’re just honest, hard-working [players], they support each other.” Burrows said. “It’s such a pleasure to work with them.”
Warriors continue to roll, shutout Flucos 3-0
The top-seeded Western Albemarle girls soccer team continued their unbeaten run through the Jefferson District on a hot and humid Tuesday evening, blanking visiting Fluvanna 3-0 to advance to the district title game. The Warriors spread the wealth on offense, getting goals from Rachel Cooke, Rachel Isaacs, and Marina Clark in the victory.
This game was not as comprehensive of a beatdown as the Warriors’ 8-0 demolition of the fourth-seeded Flucos last week, but Western still got the job done. It started when Cooke outran the Fluco defense and beat Fluvanna keeper Morgan Symmers for the game’s first goal. Just a few minutes later, Isaacs did the same, giving the Warriors a 2-0 lead that they would take into halftime.
“We were fortunate enough to actually finish on a few of our opportunities,” Western coach Jacob Desch said. “And that just helps the momentum.”
The second half featured more Western dominance, with the ball seldom crossing into their defensive zone. The Warriors kept the pressure on, and iced the game when Anna Sumpter saved the ball from going out of bounds and crossed it just in front of the net to Clark, who easily put it past Symmers for the final margin.
Desch said that his team was not bothered by the muggy conditions that persisted for most of the game.
“Every team has to go through it,” Desch said. “We’re not the only ones dealing with the heat.”
The Warriors will play for the Jefferson District tournament championship on Thursday evening against Charlottesville.
