Griffith late goal lifts New Kent over Colonial Heights
Lady Trojan Sydney Griffith (left) and Colonial Heights' Alyssa Parrish use forearms in a battle to control the ball.Alan Chamberlain photo
Shaking off the effects of illness, New Kent’s Sydney Griffith also shook off defenders long enough to launch a long-range shot late in the Lady Trojans’ soccer match with invading Colonial Heights. Her effort not only sailed into the net, but also broke a 1-1 deadlock and proved to be the game winner.
“That was just an awesome shot,” said her coach, Barry Rountree. “I’m real proud of these girls for accomplishing what they have so far, and with very little practice. They’re really coming together.”
Wednesday night’s 2-1 victory upped the hosts’ record to 2-0 despite the absence of several key players including the team’s number one and two goalkeepers. Starter Chandler Davenhart and backup Lauren Barney are sidelined by injuries.
To fill the vacancy, Rountree inserted Sara Buchanan. She responded with six saves.
“And she really didn’t want to play there,” the coach added.
A defensive struggle ensued from the outset. Neither team got off a shot over the game’s first 10 minutes. The contest remained scoreless in the first half with the teams combining for a mere eight shots.
But at the 24-minute mark of the second half, a pushing violation just outside the box set up the Colonials’ Alex Page for a direct free kick. Page converted to end the scoreless skein.
“I was a little worried about that, but the girls reacted and came back,” Rountree said.
Lady Trojan Zoe Wallace wiped out the Colonials’ lead, blasting a shot past keeper Alexa Sandford with 15 minutes left in regulation. The match appeared on the way to overtime before Griffith’s decisive goal, coming with 4:30 to go.
“We mostly just toughed it out,” Rountree said. “[The Colonials] pass and catch the ball better than we do, but we just need more practice to improve on that.”
The teams tied in shots on goal with 12 each. Sandford stopped five New Kent shots.