Lady Trojans battle Warhill to 1-1 tie on pitch

New Kent’s Bianca Yates (2) tries to keep the ball away from the feet of a Warhill defender.

Robb Johnson photo

New Kent’s Lady Trojans’ soccer season continues to be a ride that is powered by nearly a dozen seniors. Their experiences have led to the team being more competitive, including during a May 8 home contest.

New Kent settled with a 1-1 tie with the visiting Warhill Lady Lions in the Bay Rivers District match that saw each team battle through regulation and two overtime periods.

Both teams displayed superior defense and physical prowess. It wouldn’t be until the 21:33 mark in the first half when Warhill notched the first score of the contest. But New Kent settled down at that point on the defensive end.

However, their offense struggled, as their first attempt to score fell by the wayside at the 8:38 mark after a missed penalty kick. The result was Warhill taking a 1-0 lead into the break.

Momentum began to favor the hosts in the second half. A great save by Lady Trojan goalkeeper Emily Ward at the 26:22 mark swung momentum, leading to New Kent being more aggressive on offense. A violation by the visitors at 11:02 led to a penalty kick for New Kent. Lady Trojan Gretchen Smith’s kick hit the Warhill goalie’s glove but ended up through the net to tie the game at one apiece. That score would remain the same until the contest concluded.

New Kent’s record now stands at 8-3-3 on the season.