If Albemarle is going to make some noise in the Group 5A postseason, the Patriots need more games exactly like what they faced against Monticello Thursday night.
“We’re not used to this, so it’s nice to have a game like this under our belt,” said Albemarle coach Amy Sherrill. “The last time we played a game that was 0-0 at the half was in March against Mountain View.”
The Patriots prevailed 1-0 over the Mustangs but it wasn’t easy as the Mustangs pressured the Patriots and challenged them in awhile.
“Credit Monticello, I think they switched things up,” Sherrill said. “Which was great, they did extremely well.”
The Patriots’ lone goal came when Brooke Bauman punched in a left-footed shot while dribbling across the middle of the field with 22:47 to play. Bauman has really come on of late as a creator, growing into the Patriots’ attacking midfielder, No. 10-role, the coveted spot that dictates the pace and style for an soccer squad’s attack.
“She’s in our No. 10 spot and she can find the right seams and the right gaps,” Sherrill said. “She knows what buttons to push and when to turn it on.”
Monticello showed what the Mustangs have been capable of all season but haven’t totally put together because of a series of injuries. Defensively Monticello was particularly sound, but they also managed to create some chances that they just couldn’t finish.
“Previously against strong teams, we had some injuries, against Western we had six girls out, against Albemarle our starting center back had dislocated her shoulder the night before,,” said Monticello’s Thomas Warren.
On the defensive end, the Mustangs’ back line worked to force Albemarle into tough shots from start to finish, creating stalemates or beating the Patriots to a number of loose balls while also not allowing chances to develop off the loose balls Albemarle did run down.
“I know (Albemarle) didn’t have more than 10 shots the whole game and the one they got they really had to work for it,” Warren said.
Monticello’s Hannah Keith’s presence in the midfield had a big impact as she’s been able to facilitate more from that spot than the center back role she’s occupied for years. But she’s been able to move up in large part because the Monticello defense has stepped up in a big way on key aspects like communication.
“It didn’t seem like it was Albemarle yelling and us listening, it was very much both teams talking and working together,” Warren said. “It wasn’t quite what we wanted, but overall, the team effort in terms of getting better, that’s a step forward.”
