Lady Trojans drop double overtime tournament match

Lady Trojan Liz Heath (right) attempts to drive past Lafayette defender Julianna Stanley.

Alan Chamberlain photo

During the regular season, New Kent’s Lady Trojans scored an early goal at the expense of Lafayette’s visiting Rams and made that slim margin stand up for a 1-0 victory. Last week in the teams’ Oct. 27 rematch, this time in the Colonial River Conference tournament quarterfinals, the host Lady Trojans duplicated their earlier scoring effort. The ending, however, did not work out the same.

Lafayette evened the count just after halftime, sending the match into what would become a double overtime affair. Then in the second extra period, the Rams’ Grace Macomber punched in the winning shot, handing Lafayette a 2-1 victory and ending New Kent’s season at 9-8.

“We had a lot of shots [15 to the Rams’ 6] and didn’t capitalize, but it happens,” said Lady Trojan coach Matt Duckworth.

“But I’m proud of the battle we waged,” he said. “There’s been years when it hasn’t been this close. The hard work we’ve put in this season shows and as we grow as a team, we’re going to have more games like this and better outcomes. Overall, it’s been a great season for New Kent High School.”

Five minutes into the contest, the last of three straight penalty corners paid dividends for the hosts. Taylor Williams slammed a shot out of a crowd and past Ram keeper Mattie Grove for a 1-0 New Kent lead.

The advantage disappeared early in the second half when, on a penalty corner, Macomber slipped a long range shot beyond Lady Trojan keeper Megan Bland. New Kent had scoring opportunities down the stretch, but shots by Melanie McNew and Liz Heath sailed wide and a pass from McNew got past an open Amanda Wood.

The hosts also had chances in both overtimes, including a Caitlin McCaughan shot that just missed ending the affair. Macomber, however, stroked the game-winner off a penalty corner at the 11:30 mark of the second 15-minute extra period.

Bland finished with five saves while Grove stopped 14 shots.

Duckworth, meanwhile, said he is losing seven seniors to graduation.

“We’ll see what transpires,” he said, looking ahead to next year. “Some of our JV girls will have to step up and will have big shoes to fill.”