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Western boys soccer shuts out Monticello

Western Albemarle got goals from Johnny Riordan and Gabe Nafziger — as well as a little help from its opponent–and cruised to a 3-0 win over visiting Monticello in Jefferson District boys soccer action on Wednesday night.

 

In a rain-soaked first half, it was corner kicks that proved most fortunate for the Warriors.

 

Western got on the board a bit unconventionally — in the 11th minute, a corner from Luke Magargee took a bad bounce off the head of Monticello’s Chase Hummel and into the back of the Mustang net for a 1-0 Warrior lead.

 

“I felt for the kid, but I also felt fortunate because that could have just as easily happened to us,” Western coach Milo Oakland said. “It’s wet and I told our team after warmups that the game had changed, it’s gonna be sloppy, but I think it does have a double-effect on both teams that we were lucky to have.”

 

Their next couple of goals were more conventional.

 

In the 28th minute, Magargee stepped up again and delivered a perfect ball on a platter for Riordan, who finished off the crossbar and in to double Western’s lead. Six minutes later, another corner yielded Nafziger’s goal, and WAHS took a 3-0 advantage into the break.

 

Playing without the services of top defender Jed Strickland due to injury, the Warriors weathered Monticello’s continuous second-half attack. The Mustangs generated the half’s first five shots before Western finally registered one in the 61st minute.

 

“We were shuffling a lot of guys around,” Oakland said. “We did what we could in the first half and just had to rest some players in the second half. The guys who stepped up did a great job.”

 

Another Warrior who came in nursing an injury was starting goalkeeper Jack Frey. Nathan Beck, who replaced Frey at halftime, registered a couple of spectacular saves to preserve the shutout. Beck had four saves in the second half after Frey had finished with three in the first.

 

“We played Jack for some continuity,” Oakland said. “We knew that Nathan would get the job done, and it’s too bad he’s behind a great starting goalie, but the saves you saw from him are normal.”

 

Monticello looked destined to get on the board in the 66th minute, but Luis Lopez’s wide-open laser beam from 25 yards away careened off the framework. Monticello’s scoreless effort wasn’t for a lack of creating — the Mustangs equaled Western’s offensive effort with 10 shots and five corners apiece, but never finished.

 

Both teams face a quick turnaround. The Warriors will face Charlottesville at home at 5:30 Thursday while the Mustangs are set to travel to take on Powhatan.

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