Leesburg, Va. — The Loudoun County High School field hockey team scored midway through the first quarter to take a 1-0 lead. Eight minutes later the Broad Run Spartans evened things out at 1-1. However, neither team scored for the next 27 minutes, 21 seconds, until at the 2:39 mark in the third quarter Loudoun County freshman CeCe Tomaszewski put the Captains back on top.
That late-third-quarter goal opened the floodgates as the Captains exploded to score three goals in the fourth quarter to defeat the Spartans, 5-2, on September 9 in Leesburg.
“Our girls came together and played our game. We spread out, we got open, we had phenomenal passes,” Loudoun County head coach Maggie Darby said. “When we communicate and work together, we know how to finish games off.”
[adrotate banner=”10″]Just over two minutes into the fourth quarter, Loudoun County freshman forward Molly Graham built on the Captains’ momentum with a goal to extend their lead to 3-1. Late in the fourth quarter, Tomaszewski added her second goal of the night, before senior midfielder Charlotte Penberthy put the game out of reach a minute later.
“We had to keep challenging them. We couldn’t let our girls feel defeated by all their great saves,” Darby said. “We just had to continue to pound. When we keep going at it, we feel like we’re going to score a goal eventually.”
While the Captains finally broke through, it was the play of Broad Run senior goalie Brigitte Racey that kept the Spartans in the game.
Attack after attack, Racey defended the Broad Run goal, and when the senior keeper faced a penalty shot with five minutes left in the first half, she once again proved stalwart, knocking the shot away, preserving the 1-1 tie.
“They’re really aggressive, especially their goalie, who is phenomenal,” Loudoun County assistant coach Kelly Petrella said. “We just had to match that aggressiveness.”
The Loudoun County game plan was simple: continue attacking, continue taking shots, and wear down the Broad Run defense, and despite a brilliant effort by Racey, the Captains got the final word with their fourth quarter scoring explosion.
With the win, Loudoun County (0-0, 6-0) remains undefeated and the frontrunner in the Dulles District, however, the Captains know they need to keep their focus as they move into the heart of their district season with a target on their back.
“Once you find what works, you have to stick with it. That’s the key to success,” Petrella said. “We just have to keep our head down, keep our composure, and play our game.”
Derrick Jerry captured 50+ photos at the game!
Scoring Plays
| Period | Time | Team | Goal | Score |
| 1Q | 7:48 | Loudoun County | Morgan Kitchen | 1-0 |
| 1Q | 0:00 | Broad Run | Molly Donadoni | 1-1 |
| 3Q | 2:39 | Loudoun County | CeCe Tomaszewski | 2-1 |
| 4Q | 13:55 | Loudoun County | Molly Graham | 3-1 |
| 4Q | 4:46 | Loudoun County | CeCe Tomaszewski | 4-1 |
| 4Q | 3:44 | Loudoun County | Charlotte Penberthy | 5-1 |
| 4Q | 0:40 | Broad Run | Brooke Smith | 5-2 |