Lady Trojans trounce back-to-back opponents in soccer

Phipps’ hat trick sparks 8-0 romp over Packers

Forward Carrie Phipps registered the hat trick, scoring three of New Kent’s first four goals, and the Lady Trojan defense posted a shutout. All translated into an 8-0 Bay Rivers District soccer romp over Smithfield’s visiting Packers.

Last Wednesday’s encounter led to New Kent’s first district win of the season, raising the Lady Trojans’ record to 1-1-1. New Kent is 3-1-2 in all games.

“Things have been good this season,” a pleased Lady Trojan head coach, Chad Honeycutt, said afterward.

“We’ve just needed to find a way to get the ball in the net, and we found it tonight,” he said.

Forward Abbie McIninch opened the scoring about seven minutes into the contest. Then it was Phipps’ turn to take over. All three of her goals resulted from being in the right place at the right time.

Nearing the first half’s 24-minute mark, midfielder Anna Black launched a rapid succession of hard shots stopped by Smithfield keeper Sam Sagatio. The first caromed off the keeper and back to Black who blasted away again. Sagatio blocked the second effort, but this time Phipps drilled the rebound into an open net for a 2-0 lead.

Six minutes later, Phipps took a Casey O’Leary pass from the right side and looped a shot over Sagatio’s head for a 3-0 advantage. Late in the first half, she completed the hat trick by hammering in a rebound after an O’Leary shot bounced off the Packer keeper.

Just seconds before halftime, Black cleared the ball out of the New Kent end to McIninch who dribbled past defender Brooke McLaughlin and easily beat Sagatio for a 5-0 lead at the break.

Black got into the scoring act one minute into the second half. Midfielder Logan Cargill scored out of a crowd in front of the Packer net about three minutes later, and O’Leary capped the point production with seven minutes left to end the game.

Honeycutt credited defenders Emily Schofield and Jordan Temple with leading New Kent’s defensive effort and keeping Smithfield pressure off Lady Trojan keeper Meghan Gumbs. The Packers failed to get off a shot in the first half and managed just six for the game. Gumbs registered four saves including a diving stop on a close-range shot by the Packers’ Amanda Logan in the final minutes to preserve the shutout.

“This program is really developing and has come a long way,” Honeycutt said. “Our girls are really motivated to play for each other.”

Defense shines in 5-0 shutout of Northumberland

Launching 33 shots at an opponent’s goal during the course of a soccer match means there’s a pretty good chance a few are heading into the net. And that’s how New Kent’s Lady Trojans approached their non-district affair with Northumberland’s visiting Indians.

Five Lady Trojan shots found their mark as the hosts posted a 5-0 non-district triumph last Thursday. The outcome not only upped New Kent’s record to 4-1-2, but also marked the fifth shutout of the season registered by the Lady Trojan defense and keeper Meghan Gumbs. On offense, the team has scored 13 goals in its last two games.

“We’re playing with a lot of confidence right now,” said Lady Trojan coach Chad Honeycutt. “We’re scoring from so many different positions. If one player’s not on, someone else picks it up and that’s what we want.”

New Kent took control from the outset, peppering the Indian goal and keeper Jessica Boarman with frequent shots. The Indian offense, meanwhile, became a non-factor, getting off just one first half shot and four for the entire game.

The hosts’ persistence in the Indian half of the field paid off just inside the 24-minute mark as forward Casey O’Leary hooked a shot past Boarman to put New Kent ahead to stay. Ten minutes later, midfielder Asia Hosey’s shot caromed off an Indian defender and into the net for a 2-0 advantage.

The onslaught continued after the break as just over seven minutes into the second half, midfielder Nicole Kettle blasted a shot that Boarman appeared to stop, but momentum carried the ball over the goal line for a 3-0 lead.

O’Leary registered her second goal with just under 11 minutes left to play, and forward Katie Kirkpatrick capped the scoring just over a minute later, getting an open shot after maneuvering past Indian defenders.

Boarman managed to stop 18 New Kent shots. At the other end, Gumbs needed to save only three as the Lady Trojan defense prevented Northumberland from mounting a consistent offensive threat.

“Everybody’s progressing really well,” Honeycutt said. “We’re playing together as a team, and I couldn’t be more proud.”