New Kent Charles City Chronicle

News for New Kent County and Charles City County, Virginia | March 29, 2024

New Kent holds off West Point for season-opening soccer win

By Alan Chamberlain | March 16, 2015 10:44 pm

Lady Trojan Aubrie Cook unleashes a header in the first half of the victory over West Point.

Alan Chamberlain photos

For his birthday, coach Barry Rountree received the best present from his New Kent Lady Trojan soccer team — a victory in his first game at the helm. But arriving at the outcome had its tense moments.

New Kent built a 4-1 first half lead over West Point’s visiting Lady Pointers in Monday night’s season opener, seemingly on the way to a rout. The visitors, however, twice pulled within a single goal before the Lady Trojans could blunt the comeback and post a 5-4 win.

“I thought that in the beginning of the game we had them with no problem,” Rountree said. “But it seems like being up three is more trouble than being up one.”

Sara Ward’s line drive shot over West Point keeper Hannah Zwerner put the hosts in front five minutes into the contest. Seconds later, Sydney Griffith scored off a breakaway for a 2-0 advantage. Then at the first half’s 25-minute mark, a perfectly executed corner kick off the foot of Haley Grisbaum to Griffith for a shot in front of the Pointer goal had New Kent rolling 3-0.

But with just under 14 minutes before halftime, Cassie Williams’ open shot got West Point on the scoreboard. Six minutes later, New Kent regained their 3-goal edge on Grisbaum’s bouncing shot through the Pointer defense.

But as the half wound down, Williams’ pass set up Havy Nguyen whose shot eluded defenders to close the gap to 4-2. Seventeen minutes into the second half, Nguyen struck again, this time on a blistering shot off diving keeper Lauren Barney to reduce the margin to one.

“[West Point] got us on a couple of runs and caught us by surprise,” Rountree said. “My girls got worn out, and you could tell. They’d keep asking me to come out, and I’d say ‘no.’”

The Lady Trojans owned a 7-1 advantage in shots on goal on the way to building their early 3-0 lead. Afterward, only two of 18 shots found the net. West Point, meanwhile, managed just four shots before the break, but nearly doubled their output with seven in the second half.

Griffith, however, would deliver the game winner and record the hat trick. And despite giving up another goal, Barney would prevent overtime with a crucial save in the final seconds.

Stealing the ball from a pair of Pointer defenders along the sideline, Griffith dribbled into the box, challenging Zwerner one-on-one. Griffith faked a shot to the left, and as Zwerner committed, drove the ball to the right beyond the keeper.

A tired Lady Trojan defense failed to react to Kendall Kocol’s shot launched from near midfield. The ball sailed into the net creating a one-goal game with just over seven minutes to play.

New Kent missed five straight shots down the stretch, leaving it up to Barney to preserve the win with two late saves. The final stop occurred with just a few ticks remaining on the clock as she smothered the ball on Kocol’s shot attempt from point-blank range.

Barney and Chandler Davenhart, in goal in the first half, combined for three saves. Zwerner, meanwhile, stopped 16 shots.

“For having just one practice, that’s not bad,” Rountree said concerning the triumph. “The weather’s been so bad, they haven’t let us on the field.”

New Kent's Sara Ward (left) celebrates scoring the Lady Trojans' first goal of the season with teammate Kristen Taylor.

New Kent’s Sara Ward (left) celebrates scoring the Lady Trojans’ first goal of the season with teammate Kristen Taylor.