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Melding Together: Monticello girls soccer starts postseason with romp at home over Rustburg

Photo by Bart Isley

Monticello girls soccer has been banged up all year, struggling to put the lineup the Mustangs envisioned in the preseason out on the turf for any significant span of time. 

 

But Wednesday night against Rustburg in the Region 3C quarterfinals, a healthier Monticello squad got the postseason going in a big way with a 5-1 victory over the Red Devils.

 

“We’ve just had so many injuries all season, it’s been a next one up mentality so you saw that tonight with people all over the place stepping up and doing big things for us,” said Monticello coach Thomas Warren.

 

Junior captain Teylan Becker, a strong backline defender for the Mustangs, got the scoring started early with a big-time run down the right side with a perfectly placed through ball from Emely Marquez. 

 

“Our team was just communicating really well, I was just able to get wide and we were able to get that through ball which was phenomenal from Emely,” Becker said. “Our team was really energetic and that communication was vital.”

 

It didn’t take long for the goals to start stacking up either, with senior captain Gaddy Marquez blasting a free kick into the box that found Reagan Reuter’s head. Reuter headed it into the net with ease and the Mustangs were up 2-0. 

 

Then just before the half, Charlotte Dougherty pushed the lead to 3-0 for the Mustangs. In the second half, Emely Marquez pushed the lead to 4-0 and then Gaddy Marquez made it 5-0. Rustburg scored with under 10 minutes to play to get on the board. 

 

Despite enduring another injury on the backline in the first half against the Red Devils, the win is a potential springboard for the Mustangs who endured the usual Jefferson District grind of Western, Albemarle and Charlottesville while navigating those injuries. Now they’re in position to make some serious noise. 

 

“Last year we didn’t have a chance to go to regionals and going to this with all this intensity is really good for us,” said Gaddy Marquez.

 

The Mustangs travel Friday night to face Wilson Memorial at 6:30 p.m. in the Region 3C semifinals with a state tournament berth on the line. 

 

“We’re really excited to see what we can do,” Becker said.

 

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