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By Luke Nadkarni / Scrimmageplaycva.com contributor
The Albemarle girls soccer team shook off a slow start to defeat Riverbend 4-1 on Friday night to claim the Commonwealth District title. Forward Megan Schnell led a balanced offensive attack for the Patriots with two goals, while fellow forwards Maggie Tubridy and Sheila Ford chipped in a goal and an assist each in the victory.
Most of the game was played with Albemarle on the attack. The Patriots had a flurry of opportunities early on, but each shot went off the post or just wide of the net. The Bears drew first blood five minutes into the contest, as forward Anna Sobas found the back of the net on an unassisted effort to put Riverbend ahead 1-0.
“Sometimes we’re lackadaisical,” Albemarle head coach Jon Hall said. “Last night we got scored on in the first nineteen seconds. Tonight the girls were a little looser.”
That lead did not last long. Schnell scored her first goal barely four minutes later off an assist from Tubridy. The score remained tied until the 33rd minute, when Tubridy scored a goal of her own with an assist by Lizzy Marks. It was Tubridy’s 23rd goal this season.
Albemarle was not done. Under a minute remained in the half when Carmen Thomas found Ford on a cross from the left side. Ford finished it from there, sending the Patriots into halftime with a 3-1 lead.
“I think that we play as a family, and it showed tonight,” Tubridy said. “That’s why we were so successful.”
AHS kept the pressure on in the second half, with the ball seldom crossing deep into their defensive zone. The Patriots continued to generate offensive opportunities, but did not score again until Schnell put the icing on the cake with her second goal of the evening, assisted by Ford, with just under three minutes remaining.
“I love being balanced,” Hall said of his offensive effort. “Because you can’t guard just one person.”
The Patriots now move on to Commonwealth Distirct tournament play to begin next week. As district champs, they’ll be the district’s No. 1 overall seed.
