Heartbreak is quickly becoming a theme for Albemarle’s field hockey team’s season.
For the third time in five games this season, the Patriots fell by a single goal in overtime, losing 2-1 to Stafford Thursday, one of the favorites to contend for a Group AAA title, and the Patriots managed the strong performance without a key cog.
“They just took the number one team in the state to overtime without our center mid (Jordan Vrhovac),” said Albemarle coach E.A. Jackson.
The Patriots battled the Indians throughout in an up and down game, but Albemarle struggled to punch the ball out of its defensive zone in overtime. Eventually, off a second rebound during a flurry of point-blank shots, senior Kathleen Gayle knocked the ball in to give Stafford the victory, in turn making Albemarle one of the most highly competitive 1-4 squads ever to take the field.
Albemarle actually struck first in the contest, breaking a 0-0 halftime tie with a goal by Emily Davison off a Sarah Vrhovac pass just three minutes into the second half. Vrhovac, a freshman, played inspired hockey throughout the contest after her older sister, Albemalre center midfielder Jordan Vrhovac, was knocked out of the lineup during warm-ups when she took a stick to the forehead that forced her to go get stitches for the injury.
“Jordan is off getting stitches in her head and her little sister was all fired up,” Jackson said. “Which is pretty cool.”
But Stafford answered just four minutes later when junior Erin Gallivan scored to lock the game at 1-1. The Indians then got their past chance at the end of regulation as they played out three different short corners with no time left on the clock. Cate Johnson rose to the occasion on every shot, closing out Stafford on the short corner opportunities.
“I think we had 24 shots on goal and she did an excellent job saving them,” said Stafford coach Dani Woodie.
The road test should be a big boost for the Indians, who will likely contend for a state title and need to learn how to win close games far from home.
“We haven’t done that since preseason,” Woodie said. “It was a great test for how we can adapt, how we can fix problems and issues like that.”
Davison’s goal for Albemarle was the first of the year for the senior captain.
The Patriots travel to Colonial Forge Thursday.
