In the recent past, Albemarle’s been successful by featuring one completely dominant offensive player. But that might be a little different this season as the Patriots showed on Tuesday evening against Charlottesville, as Rachel Hochstetler, Emily Gelzer and Katie Williams formed a three-headed attack in the Patriots’ 15-11 victory over a scrappy Black Knight team.
“We’ve got a lot of talent and its spread throughout,” said second year Albemarle coach Laurie Pratt. “As a team, I think that’s going to help us a lot because we don’t have that one player that everyone can focus on closing down. We’ve got a lot of folks that can score and a lot folks that will score.”
With both squads playing for the first time this year, it took a little bit for everyone to get rolling, but once the Patriots’ Abby Hendrix broke the scoreless tie nearly 10 minutes into the game, there was no shortage of offense.
Albemarle built a quick 2-goal lead when Hochstetler followed Hendrix with a goal of her own one minute later. Charlottesville answered back quickly though, and for the rest of the first half, it was a back and forth affair with the Black Knights eventually taking the lead with 90 seconds left until the half, only to have the Patriots jump back out in front by a goal with a pair of quick scores to close out the period.
Albemarle’s late first half momentum carried over into the second half, as Hochstetler, Katie Williams, and Kirsten Mendelsohn put their team up by four goals in the first 10 minutes of the frame.
Charlottesville called a timeout, collected itself, and got back to within two goals of the lead behind the play of Sarah Nissen and Harding Coughter.
However, the last 10 minutes of play would belong to Albemarle, as Hochstetler picked up her third and fourth goals as did Gelzer to insure the win.
“Knowing that this was such a close match, we just knew we had to score because we might have lost if we didn’t,” Hochstetler said of the late scoring run. “Losing, that’s not an option for us.”
Black Knights goalkeeper Annie Foky gave Albemarle all kinds of fits both inside the circle and out. The senior made 15 saves and was also a key component of Charlottesville’s transition game, often running with the ball for a full minute and making clearing passes halfway down the field.
“She’s one of the best goalies in the state,” said Black Knights coach Lauren Smith, also in her second year with the team. “She can clear farther than most goalies and can handle the ball better than most, even when she’s out of the net and being double teamed. She’s a huge contributor to our transition and offense.”
Charlottesville came into the contest with a ‘nothing to lose’ attitude, and by playing a tight contest with a traditional lacrosse power in Central Virginia, Smith and the Black Knights — last year’s Jefferson District runnerup — are hoping to build upon the strides they made last season.
“This is a game that I think everyone would expect Charlottesville to lose,” Smith said. “We came in and hung with Albemarle and it was back and forth. We kept our composure but we’ve just got to work on a little more offense.”
Coughter and Lena Turkheimer led the Black Knights with three goals each. Nissen finished with a pair of goals and an assist.
For Albemarle, Hochstetler and Gelzer each tallied four goals. Williams finished with three goals and three assists. Mendelsohn ended the night with a pair of goals.
Charlottesville (0-1) heads to E.C. Glass on Thursday at 6 p.m.
Albemarle (1-0) will travel to Monticello on Thursday at 6:30 p.m.
