New Kent defense shines, but Tabb pulls away late

New Kent's Zoe Wallace (right) and Tabb's Natalie Stratton have their eyes closed while vying for a header.

Alan Chamberlain photo

Down 2-0 at halftime, New Kent’s Lady Trojans opened the second half with a goal to close in on Tabb’s visiting Tigers. But the visitors added two goals down the stretch to pull away for a 4-1 soccer win.

For most of Thursday evening’s first half, New Kent’s defense answered every Tabb offensive thrust, and those attacks came often. Twelve straight shots either sailed wide or were stopped by Lady Trojan keeper Sara Buchanan.

But just inside the 16 minute mark, the Tigers’ Jasmine Bryant rolled a shot past Buchanan. Just over a minute later, Buchanan got a hand on a shot drilled by Madalyn Grounds, but the ball caromed into the net giving Tabb a 2-0 lead.

“In the first half, [Tabb] didn’t score for 25 minutes,” said Lady Trojan coach Barry Rountree. “We played real good defense, and Sara had a pretty awesome effort.”

Buchanan finished with 16 saves. Tabb, meanwhile, unleashed 29 shots for the match.

The Lady Trojans managed just two shots in each half, but they made their first effort of the second half count. Operating from the right wing, Sydney Griffith centered the ball perfectly to teammate Sara Ward stationed in front of the Tiger goal. Ward then blasted the ball into the net past keeper Mariel Waller.

“That was a nice goal that we got,” Rountree said. “We’re getting better, and that’s the main thing.”

Tabb began to pull away at the 21-minute mark of the second half on a goal by Natalie Stratton. Moments later, the hosts had a chance to pull back within one, thanks to a Tabb pushing infraction, but Caitlin McCaughan’s penalty kick sailed high and wide. The Tigers tacked on an insurance goal with under four minutes to play.

The outcome evened New Kent’s record at 4-4, but Rountree said his team is learning from the losses, adding, “We’re getting ready for the playoffs.”