It’s not just that Monticello freshman striker Alexis Mallory’s speed is overwhelming, it’s that her timing, particularly Monday night, is near perfect.
“We’ve been working on that, she’s done a really good job of turning her raw talent into soccer knowledge and exploiting that soccer knowledge now,” said Monticello coach Craig Brannan. “Early in the season she was offside a few times. Now she knows that she’s fast enough that she can wait and still get into that space.”
With under a minute left in the first overtime and the game deadlocked, Mallory exploded down the right flank and let loose what became the decisive goal in a 2-1 victory over Western Albemarle that preserved Monticello’s second place standing in the Jefferson District. Mallory’s overtime goal bookended her early game score that stood up until Western hit the equalizer with just under 10 minutes left in regulation. Mallory knocked home a rebound off a terrific run and shot by Claire Wolanski just four minutes into the proceedings.
That goal held up for almost the entire game largely because of a series of excellent stops by goalie Deanna Ballard. Ballard, who’s adopted an aggressive style at Brannan’s request played a big role in allowing the Mustangs to maintain possession for the majority of the contest. That offset one of Western’s big strengths, the Warriors’ ability to control the ball in the midfield.
“It’s something Craig been pressuring me to do that, and so I’ve been trying that and it’s been working out pretty well,” Ballard said.
Ballard made one leaping stop in the first half and smashed into the post on the way down. She quickly shook off the collision and put together a rock solid game. Western’s lone goal came on a breakaway when the Warriors’ Ina Koeder got in behind the Monticello defense after a turnover in the midfield and made a nice run and shot. Ballard had a couple of stops in overtime as well, but that ability to play a role in possession was a critical contribution.
“Early in the season we were working on her commanding the space,” Brannan said. “A few times we were able to play it back to her a few times and she was good with her feet, that’s something she’s gotten great at.”
Western keeper Josie Rappold, who’s taken over duties from the injured Emily Marbury at keeper, missed the opening 10 minutes of the contest, and surrendered just a single goal once she entered the game, another sterling effort for the former reserve goalie. Western struggled to control possession however and that became a problem as the game wore on.
“We didn’t play our game,” said Western coach Lesley Gordet. “We just have to accept the fact that we didn’t play our game. We played hard, but we didn’t play our game”
Monticello battles Charlottesville Thursday before closing out the regular season with Louisa on May 16. Western will try and regroup against William Monroe Thursday.
