Charlottesville’s girls soccer team has been knocking on the door of a breakthrough run into the state tournament.
The fact that they had to wait a little longer for that reward by going to overtime with state power Blacksburg on the road is fitting. The Black Knights, thanks to a goal from Kaitlyn Lehnert in the first overtime, knocked off the Bruins on the road in the Region 4D semifinals to net a spot in the state tournament.
“We’ve been working really hard this year, not just on the field but in the weight room, on the practice pitch, getting bigger, stronger and faster,” said Charlottesville coach Marcelle Van Yahres. “And it paid off.”
Lehnert’s goal came off a Maddy Packer cross in the first overtime, a huge tally to get the Black Knights into the state tournament.
“It was a goal that was a long time coming,” Van Yahres said. “I knew we had been knocking on the door.”
With Blacksburg’s disciplined style, Packer is the kind of fast, tough athlete that can force the issue on the opposition. That put some of the individual pressure on her to deliver and create for Charlottesville to be at its best. She was up to the challenge.
“I knew Madelyn had to have a good game and she did,” Van Yahres said. “On defense, on offense, she came through.”
The Black Knights’ defense also had to meet the moment, and that group was locked in from the start, managing to shutout a program that advanced to the Class 4 state final four a year ago. Eve Gehle and Eliza Shock were particularly locked in, with Gehle helping hem in outside runs while Shock helped halt advances in the middle.
“It was incredible,” Van Yahres said. “They were incredibly organized and loud.”
It didn’t hurt either that the Black Knights had played in a lot of games against tough opponents this year already, navigating a Jefferson District that now includes four state quarterfinalists. A big stage against a tough opponent has become just part of every week for the Black Knights.
“It helps tremendously playing teams like Albemarle, Western and Monticello,” Van Yahres said. “We knew that we weren’t guaranteed another game — we dug deep tonight.”
Now they’ll head to the state tournament after facing Jefferson Forest Thursday in the Region 4D championship match at 7 p.m.
This is what it looks like when a group of young ladies and their coaches finally break through and make it to states!! @CvilleSchools @CHSBlackKnights @scrimmageplay @CvilleVarsity pic.twitter.com/bEnwg3Ll3Q
— CHS Activities (@cville_dsa) May 29, 2019
