Blacksburg’s girls soccer team isn’t as historically decorated as the school’s boys program that sports 12 all-time state championships. But since realignment in 2013-2014, they’ve been the dominant team in Group 3A, winning three straight state titles. They’ve also been a particularly noticeable stumbling block for Western Albemarle.
In the Region 3A West title game Thursday, Blacksburg was most everything the Bruins usually are, strong defensively and sharp with the ball at their feet.
But Western Albemarle’s squad was more than they usually are. Western was confident. Western was better.
“This is a special team with a bunch of great girls so it’s awesome to finally get what we needed,” said Western Albemarle’s Shannon Moore.
The Warriors beat the Bruins 3-1 to win the Region 3A West championship, giving the Warriors the program’s first ever region title in the process.
Moore scored what became the gamewinner with a header finish off a Cameron Hucek corner kick with 13:11 to play. It was the kind of difference-making goal that has sometimes been out of grasp for the Warriors in games against Blacksburg like the 2015 state final where Western lost 1-0.
“Cameron hit literally a perfect ball, all that was going through my head was that I have to hit it,” Moore said. “I’ve been waiting for that perfect ball season, it was just perfect placement and I hit it with all my power.”
While Moore provided the difference maker and Katrine Berg knocked home an insurance goal with 5:44 left off a rebound, it was Julia Berg who set the tone for Western, scoring in the opening minute of the game on an aggressive move near the goal where she had to hold off a couple of defenders. The quick goal changed the complexion of the game and while Blacksburg equalized late in the first half on a Sarah Linkenhoker goal, Western’s aggressive approach seemed to put the Bruins on their heels.
“We wanted to go hard and aggressive, and we wanted to really just set the tone,” Berg said. “Getting that first goal in the first minute was a way to set the tone.”
Berg, a versatile player who usually plays defense for Western, moved up in the formation to forward with Abby Zimmerman out of the lineup because of a dubious red card she drew in the region semifinal. Zimmerman is the Warriors’ leading scorer, their most dynamic finisher, but Western adjusted well, keeping the pressure up and largely maintaining possession throughout.
When the defense was tested, Moore, Nichole Heon and company moved the ball efficiently and usually pushed it back forward quickly to create another chance for the Warriors’ playmakers up top. Blacksburg’s keeper Kelsey Verbrugge held up mostly despite a barrage of shots from Western.
By virtue of their state semifinal win Wednesday, the Warriors are playing in the state final four next Friday at Salem High School. They’ll face the Region 3A East runner-up in that clash, but for now they’ll enjoy the program’s first region title, with an eye toward a possible rematch with the Bruins in the Group 3A final.
“They played really well,” Moore said. “We’re really excited to see them, hopefully, in states if we can both get through. Then we’ll see what happens.”
