Wildcats Fall To Western, Rout Albemarle
Western Albemarle fended off Rockbridge County High School to claim a 12-10 win in Lexington in the girls lacrosse season opener for both teams on Tuesday of last week.
The Wildcats rebounded quickly to gain their first win of the season on Friday, defeating Albemarle 18-3 on the road, while two-time defending state champion Western Albemarle improved to 2-0 with an 11-10 home win over Cosby.
On Tuesday of last week, Genevieve Hathaway tallied three goals and two assists to pace the Warriors in a rematch of the 2024 Virginia High School League Class 4 state championship game, which Western won by a 12-8 count at Charlottesville High School. The state championship loss snapped a 16-game winning streak for the Wildcats, who went 17-2 last year and won their fourth consecutive Region 4D title.
Taylor Florin added one goal and four assists for the Warriors in last Tuesday’s opener, but she received a red card and was ejected from the game midway through the third period. Maizey Mc-Carthy tallied eight saves in goal for Western, including six after halftime.
Josie Caldwell and Emma McKnight posted three goals apiece for the Wildcats. Lola Mulitalo tallied two goals and two assists for RC, while Anna Nye netted two goals, one assist and seven draw controls, and Alyssa Hunter recorded seven saves.
“Playing tough competition – nothing can replace it,” RC head coach Susan Nye said. “It prepares us for our district and region play coming up. If we play with this intensity, it’s very different.”
Western used a six-goal run to build up a 9-3 lead in the second period, and the Warriors held a 10-5 edge at halftime.
Nye and McKnight scored early in the third period to trim the margin to 10-7. Florin’s red card came with 7:26 to go, and McKnight scored again right away to make it 10-8. But that was the only offense that RC could produce during a seven-minute player advantage – two minutes for the initial yellow card issued to Florin and five for the subsequent red.
Marchelle Van der Westhuizen bagged a player-up goal for Western with just 0.2 seconds remaining in the quarter, and an 8-meter score from Hathaway with 6:59 left in the game pushed the margin to 12-8.
The Wildcats rallied late, getting a goal from McKnight with 3:01 remaining and another from Mulitalo with 2:20 left to pull within 12-10. But McCarthy made two key saves in the final minute of regulation to help the Warriors hang on for the win.
Coach Nye was pleased with the resilience that the ’Cats showed throughout the contest. She also thought her side’s execution was crisper during their rallies from those 9-3 and 12-8 deficits.
“I think as a team, the girls started fighting for each other,” the veteran RC coach said. “With our offense, when we actually run our plays, we’re fairly efficient. … All of a sudden, we won a couple of draws in a row – and then you’re automatically on offense.”
The hat trick for Caldwell is another encouraging sign. The senior, who was a key role player for the Wildcats last season, is stepping into the spotlight this spring as a team captain and go-to player on attack.
While the returning cast includes Mulitalo, the 2024 Region 4D player of the year, the Wildcats have some big shoes to fill after graduating six well-decorated seniors who helped the Wildcats go 17-2 l. Two of them – Maddie Dahl at Berry College and Halina Homiak at Muhlenberg College – are currently playing collegiate lacrosse.
“ It’s n ice t o s ee h er t ake o n a very d ifferent r ole t his year,” Coach Nye said of Caldwell. “She’s stepped up as our captain this year. She had a great performance today.”
McLean Stokes tallied two goals and one assist for Western, while Van der Westhuizen and Annie Alhusen chipped in two goals apiece. Emily Humphreys totaled four caused turnovers to lead the RC defense.
RC 18, Albemarle 3
RC evened up its record with an 18-3 road victory over Albemarle on Friday.
Nye posted 10 points and snared 14 draw controls, pacing the Wildcats’ offense with six goals and four assists. Caldwell scored four times, and Mulitalo added a hat trick.
Hunter made five saves, while Liz McCormick totaled three caused turnovers for the RC defense. Nye and McKnight scooped up three ground balls apiece.
The Wildcats were scheduled to visit Covenant on Monday, and they’ll play at Christiansburg tonight, Wednesday, with the varsity game only at 6 p.m. RC will have a break in competition next week before returning to action at Virginia Episcopal School in Lynchburg on Monday, April 7, with the varsity game only at 5 p.m.
The Wildcats then have two home games scheduled, on Friday, April 11 against Franklin County and on Monday, April 14 against Hidden Valley. Both nights are varsity only, with the Franklin County game at 6:30 p.m. and the Hidden Valley game at 7:15 p.m.
WILDCAT SENIOR attacker Liz McCormick (second from left) and senior defender Emily Humphreys battle a WesternAlbemarle player for the ball as junior defender Nadia Gaydos (14) stays close. Watching in the background are RC sophomore defender Tadara Cooper (4) and senior defender Caitlin Carrington (10). (Stephanie Mikels Blevins photo)
