It was a major growth moment for Charlottesville’s field hockey team.
In a big game, against a big-time opponent, the Black Knights didn’t even need a goal from Kendall Ballard to get a win.
They got one a goal from their junior star anyway, and, in the process, rolled past Western Albemarle 3-0 to win a battle of squads sporting unbeaten records in the Jefferson District.
“I was so proud of them,” said Charlottesville coach Lindsay Larson. “We’re an inexperienced team and the confidence isn’t always right there so to have them score goals against a good team that didn’t involve Kendall was a huge confidence booster.”
The Black Knights got an early goal from Lily Sosa in the opening five minutes of the contest, with Sosa finishing off an Emily Blow pass. They pushed the advantage to 2-0 late in the half when Kendall Dowdell scored off a Mia Garland pass on a short corner opportunity with about two minutes left in the half.
“I felt like this whole season we haven’t lived up to the potential that we could have,” Larson said. “There was always something holding us back but tonight everything seemed to fall (in place).”
Ballard’s score came in the second half on an incredible coast-to-coast take that started 60 yards from the goal line and ended with a blast for the 3-0 lead. She did the bulk of her damage defensively, erasing several fast break chances for Western with a quick flick of her stick and her long reach.
Ballard helped spearhead an incredible defensive effort that helped spark Joanna Kammauff to another shutout in the cage. With contributions from Caroline Clark, Garland, Eliza Cohn, Carmen Drake and Sophie Pugh-Sellers, the Black Knights clamped down on a speedy Western attack.
“They did a great job against Orange and now again against Western,” Larson said. “Each game they’re getting more and more confident.”
Western struggled to combat Ballard as many of the Warriors’ young players — several freshmen and sophomores factor into the lineup — faced the Charlottesville star and the Black Knights for the first time.
“They psyched themselves up a little bit and then after she touched the ball a few times they were really kind of intimidated because she has great skills,” said Western coach Mia Fields. “But it was a great experience for us and it’ll help us next time.”
The Warriors will try and bounce back at home Thursday against Powhatan while Charlottesville heads south Tuesday to take on a talented North Cross squad in Roanoke.
