Lafayette tops New Kent 7-1 on Senior Night

New Kent's Chris Rosser (4) and Jhan Smith (3) work to keep the ball away from Lafayette's Nathan Lowery. Below, Trojan keeper Billy John leaps to bat the ball away for one of his 14 saves on the night.

Alan Chamberlain photos

New Kent’s Trojans survived Lafayette’s early salvo of 10 shots and six corner kicks. But 15 minutes into Monday’s soccer contest, the visiting Rams took the lead for good on the way to a 7-1 triumph, spoiling New Kent’s Senior Night and regular season home finale.

By halftime, the Rams owned a 5-0 lead. New Kent’s Alan Walker averted a shutout near the second half’s midpoint on a high shot over Ram keeper Joe Egbo. Josue Benitez assisted on the score.

Lafayette held a 33-18 edge in shots. Trojan keeper Billy John managed 14 saves to Egbo’s four.

The outcome lowered the Trojans’ record to 3-12 with one game to play. And even though, the team has won just three so far, their record is better than the zero mark recorded a year ago.

“Tonight may not have been a win, but we’re playing better,” said Trojan coach Keith Grant. “In years past, we’d have been sent home with a slaughter. We’re progressing, and that will help us next year.”

More than half of Grant’s 20-man roster leaves after this season. Ten are graduating seniors while there’s one foreign exchange student. Grant, however, is confident the Trojans can rebuild.

“The JV team’s good,” he said. “We’ve been holding everybody back so we can move them up [to varsity] as a group. It will take a few years to build a program, and that’s what we’re working toward.”