Covenant sophomore forward Ashley Ballard, who’d already scored a goal to extend the Eagles’ lead, started pulling on the goalie equipment while the referees and coaches continued sorting out a ruling.
Ballard, the squad’s emergency goalie who stepped into the cage for a three-week stretch during last year’s state title run, stepped in this time after an extended stoppage on a penalty stroke.
“I was just telling myself to watch the ball and hope for the best,” Ballard said.
She made the save, and after another equipment change, assisted on a last second goal that lifted the Eagles to a 3-0 win over Western Albemarle.
That gave Ballard the rare statistical line of a goal, an assist and a save. Not a bad night’s work at all.
“At first we were really confused and when it was clarified, I ran off the field and we were having trouble with the pads,” Ballard said. “It was kind of chaotic but it was funny at the same time. Whatever happens, happens.”
Covenant had jumped on Western early on, building a 2-0 lead in the opening minutes with Wynston Archer and Ballard scoring. The Warriors, breaking in a largely new roster under new head coach Compton Going and playing in their season opener, reset after that initial flurry and stayed within striking distance.
“We haven’t had a scrimmage so I think they did alright,” Going said. “They stuck together, they played hard and that’s really what we ask.”
The Warriors’ roster is loaded with freshmen and sophomores, but seniors like Kira Repich and Marlena Flynn give them some foundation pieces to work with as they bring a group of talented youngsters along.
Western’s best chance came when they drew a foul called on the Eagles’ goalie on a breakaway with about 17:12 to play. That led to Ballard’s switch to goalie while the officials tried to sort out an apparent conflict in the rule book that allowed goalies to enter on any dead ball, but didn’t allow players to enter after penalties. With no backup goalie, Covenant had to suit up Ballard on the fly.
“It’s always hard to handle chaos when you have no goalie sub, two injured subs and one somewhat-injured sub,” said Covenant coach Annie Gumbs. “It kind of came down to the girls who were playing keeping their heads level and calm.”
Ballard stuffed the penalty stroke, shaking off the chaos and madness to make a critical play and preserve the shutout.
Abby McCartney scored the third goal with just a couple of seconds left off a Ballard feed.
Covenant will look to build on its 2-0 record against local squads Tuesday when the Eagles take on Albemarle at home at 4 p.m. Western will look to bounce back on the road the same afternoon at 4:30 at St. Anne’s-Belfield.
