By Price Thomas / Scrimmageplaycva.com contributor
In a late season game with large Commonwealth District implications, a 75th minute goal by senior Michael Lombardo secured a 1-1 tie for Albemarle with visiting Colonial Forge Thursday night.
During a sluggish first half, both teams struggled to create many dangerous chances, trading possession in the midfield as both teams struggled to find a rhythm. The best chance of the half was created by Albemarle forward Asa Vegodsky with 12 minutes left. Looking to latch on to a through ball, Vegodsky found himself in a foot race with the on rushing Colonial Forge keeper. As the two collided 20 yards from goal, the ball popped loose presenting junior midfielder Colin Buckley with an opportunity to give his team the lead; however, his chance went high of the frame and the teams went into halftime dead locked at zero.
The teams must have been saving their energy for after intermission. It took a mere 30 seconds for the action to pick up as junior Kai Marshall was able to find a streaking Daiquan West down the right sideline. After racing past the Eagles backline, West was also able to round the keeper but his shot rolled agonizingly wide of the target. In the 47th minute, the Patriots inability to capitalize on their chances would come back to bite them. A well-taken free kick by Colonial Forge junior Tim Clancy found the head of the onrushing Mathias Aguilar, before taking a fortuitous bounce off of the back of Ian Cheek and into the back of the net.
The goal seemed to energize the Eagles, who proceeded to ramp up the pressure on the Albemarle goal, yet the away team was continually stifled by the heroics of freshman goalie Matt Natale. The young net minder made a series of acrobatic saves, keeping the Patriots within striking distance.
“He’s been doing it all year, he’s a heck of a goalie,” said Albemarle head coach Scott Jackson. “For a freshman, his understanding of the position is fantastic.”
As the clock ticked towards zero, Jackson made a key tactical maneuver to try and seek out a tying goal, moving defender Michael Lombardo up top and leaving only 3 along the backline. With 6 minutes left to play, the chess move played off as Lombardo was able to find the back of the net.
“Kai [Marshall] laid a nice ball off to Alex [Bohn] and he played it over the top,” Lombardo said. “Really all I had to do was one touch it in.”
With the tying goal in hand the Patriots went in search of the winner, but after two hard fought overtime periods the sides had to settle for a 1-1 draw.
“Coming off of this game we definitely have to worry less about the ref, keep playing scrappy but also focus on keeping our formation better,” Lombardo said. “We have to do a better job of settling in and finding open players.”
The Patriots close out their regular season campaign, and hope mark senior night with a win, against visiting Riverbend on Tuesday.
