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Switch Flipped: Charlottesville boys soccer goes into playoff mode, crushes LCA

Photos by Kristi Ellis

Six different Black Knights delivered goals as Charlottesville boys’ soccer steamrolled Liberty Christian Academy in the Region 3C tournament quarterfinals just days after a tie ended the Black Knights’ regular season.

 

“I thought our guys came out focused,” said CHS coach Martin Braun. “As a whole, we did a good job keeping the ball and making the right decisions.”

 

The ball rarely crossed midfield out of the Knights’ control over the first 20 minutes of action. Although CHS fired off its first shot not even 45 seconds into the match, the offense was generally patient and deliberate.

 

“We’ve been having trouble just always wanting to go forward, and today we kind of took a chill and were able to play back-and-around, [getting to] everyone through the midfield,” said senior Noah Boswinkle.

 

“Make them make the mistake” was the oft-repeated refrain from the CHS coaching staff, and the Knights did just that, contesting every clearing attempt by the Bulldogs’ defenders and keeper. LCA mustered only one serious scoring threat in the first half, and that wasn’t before the Knights had opened a three-nil lead.

 

Goal number one came courtesy of the midfield when junior Christian Torres-Guzman fed senior Thoams Vik who found the net from 15 yards out in the 12th minute. Three minutes later, senior Malcolm Brickhouse’s shot from the left side hit the post, but junior Lucas Fuller corralled the loose ball in the box and tallied the goal. Boswinkle wrapped up the first-half surge in the 19th minute when he gathered control 50 yards out and raced down the left-hand side before launching a strike just under the bar.

 

“I had another run against the same defender earlier in the game and I knew I was faster,” said Boswinkle. “The second time, I just made sure I converted.”

 

Junior forward Lucas Simpson dashed any LCA hopes of a big rally when he expanded the Knights’ lead nine minutes into the second half with a low strike from the left side. Four minutes later, Simpson fed Brickhouse deep in the box to put one on the board after Brickhouse had hit several posts in the first half. Junior Henry Coyle wrapped up the scoring in the 74th minute when he snuck one in the lower-right corner from 20 yards out.

 

In the postgame huddle, players and staff quickly shifted their attention to Wednesday night’s semifinal. CHS will host a familiar foe in third-seeded Western Albemarle.

 

“They’re a great team and they have a lot of momentum right now,” said Braun. “A rivalry game to go to the regional final: it should be fun.”

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