Virginia Beach, Virginia – It was a big night for the W-League Piranhas as they battled the Atlanta Silverbacks to a 2-2 draw Sunday night at the Sportsplex. They definitely brought their lunch pails to work for a hard, blue-collared shift. They knew they would have put in the work, but they were ready and more than willing.
The heat was on at the Sportsplex as the W-League Piranhas kicked off against the Atlanta Silverbacks at 5:30 on an 86 degree, sticky Virginia evening. The heat was coming from all directions as the Silverbacks (3-0-0) showed that they came to play. There was pressure on the Piranhas to perform in front of their home crowd, bag their first goal of the season, and de-throne the number one ranked team in the Atlantic Conference.
The Piranhas came out aggressive and dominated physically. While the Silverbacks saw more possession early on, they knew they had a weighty task ahead of them. The Piranhas challenged for every ball, making Atlanta work for every ounce of possession. Their tenacity kept Atlanta well out of the box until Katya Gokham finally broke through in the 11th minute with a goal. She made her run down the right flank and struck a bouncing shot that beat goalkeeper Victoria Johnson to the far post. Minutes later Gabi Rivera recovered a bouncing ball at the top of the 18 yard box and knocked one passed Johnson to double their lead in the 14th minute; but the game was far from over.
The W-League Piranhas broke through in a major way in the 21 minute when Rachel Gerdin slipped a ball to Emily Kittleson, who was holding the high line. Kittleson was able to lose her mark and beat the keeper on a 1 v. 1. It was a very special goal for Kittleson and the whole Piranhas’ squad. This goal ended the Piranha’s three-game, scoreless drought, destroyed Atlanta’s clean sheet on the season, and cut their deficit in half. This was first goal scored on the Silverbacks this season
Just seconds later, Kittleson had another similar attempt on goal, but was unable to finish. The whole first half was packed with action as the Piranhas continued to earn chance after chance on goal. The Silverbacks had their share of scares on the home team’s net as well.
The half ended with a tiresome back and forth; much like that of a tennis match, but a lot more work. And the fruits of their labor began to show. The Piranhas received two quality set-pieces earned by sheer will power, as they continued to work hard in the closing minutes of the half. This is how you know when a team came to win, and not just to play!
The Piranhas remained relentless on defense and really all over the field, smothering every ball in their area. The Silverbacks were reminded every few seconds that they weren’t at home.
Far from satisfied, the Piranhas continued to push forward into their attacking third.
Another Piranhas goal came in the 68th minute as striker Kara Cooper raced to the end of a long ball and squeaked a shot underneath a sprawling Michelle Betos with a sliding touch. Betos, Atlanta’s starting goalkeeper has only allowed two goals all season.
Around the 80th minute, menacing clouds filled the sky and the final ten minutes were postponed due to lightning storms and severe weather. After nearly 90 minutes of delay, both teams finished out the final ten minutes in the match with tremendous physical effort.
Although it was just a draw, it was still a huge result for the W-League Piranhas. Head Coach Wendy Waddell attributes the result to change. “Last game was bad. We knew we needed change,” Waddell explained. “All week at practice that’s what we focused on. We mixed things up a lot and it worked in our favor.”
The home crowd got exactly what they wanted, and the W-League Piranhas put on a great show.
The W-League Piranhas’ next match will be on June 5th when the team hosts the Northern Virginia Majestics at 7:30 p.m. at the Virginia Beach Sportsplex.
For more information on the Hampton Roads Piranhas, including tickets, sponsorships or to volunteer, please call 757-226-9040 or visit
www.hrpiranhas.com.
Scoring Summary 1 2 FT
Hampton Roads 1 1 2
Atlanta 2 0 2
Atlanta: Katya Gokham 11 (unassisted)
Atlanta: Gabi Rivera 14 (Megan Tomlinson)
Hampton Roads: Emily Kittleson 21 (Rachel Gerdin)
Hampton Roads: Kara Cooper 65 (unassisted)
Starting Lineups:
Hampton Roads: Victoria Johnson, Melanie Adams, Elizabeth Brewster, Kathleen Winsper, Caitlin Burke, Jamie Clarke, Rachel Gerdin, Laurel McKenzie (Alicia Kostka 64), Emily Kittleson, Kara Cooper (Katie Watson 81), Kirby Stenard (Kari Byzewski 64)
Atlanta: Michelle Betos, Bailey Powell, Laura Eddy, Kelli Corless, Tara Minnax (Katie Bolinsky 70), Jamie Pollock, Monica Buff (Tiffani Mullen 80), Megan Tomlinson, Katya Gokham (Jill Porto 54), Gabi Rivera (Kristin Garman 45), Alexa Newfield
Game Statistics:
Shots: HRP 12, ATL 13; Saves: HRP 5, ATL 6; Fouls: HRP 11, ATL 7; Offsides: HRP 1. AT: 3; Corners: HRP 3, ATL 4; Cautions: None; Ejections: None; Officials: Roberto Furnish, Susan George, Vicki Wiese; Attendance 287; Weather: Rain, thunderstorms.
Aaron Zendejas
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