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A TOUGH, BUT VALIANT ENDING

November 14, 2008 12:36 am

BY JIM McCONNELL

VIRGINIA BEACH

Despite driving rain that at times turned the artificial turf fields at the U.S. Field Hockey National Training Center into big, green lakes, North Stafford's Ashley Scroggin and Mountain View's Sabrina Hill stood tall in goal against two of the best high school teams in Virginia.

On a day when only perfection would've been enough, their terrific performances still couldn't carry their teams into the Group AAA state semifinals.

Two-time defending state champion Frank Cox outshot North Stafford 28-1, but couldn't get the ball past Scroggin until the final two minutes of the first half. Cara Witte finished with a hat trick as the Falcons won 3-0 and advanced to face Westfield today at 1 p.m.

Amy Abernathy's first-half goal was the only one Princess Anne would get against Hill, but it was all the Cavaliers needed to secure a 1-0 victory that sent them into today's 3 p.m. semifinal matchup with Lake Braddock.

"I really thought we were going to score," said Hill, who finished with 10 saves and kept Mountain View in the game until its offense began to click in the second half. "We started breaking them down and kept getting closer to the goal. Another 10 seconds and we would've had it."

Mountain View (20-3) was obviously affected by the wind and driving rain, which largely nullified the Wildcats' most dangerous weapon--their speed--and prevented either team from putting together much of a cohesive offense.

With the field unable to drain quickly enough to prevent standing water, the game finally was suspended with 5:16 left in the first half.

"It was a little late on that call," Mountain View coach Pattie Sullivan said. "It wasn't good for either team because [the weather] takes you out of your game. You can't help but think about it when the rain is hitting you in the face."

When play resumed after a 35-minute delay, Mountain View looked like a different team. The Wildcats earned their first corner, then Heather Hartman sent teammate Alexis Gay in on a breakaway that Princess Anne's defense scrambled to deny.

As conditions began to improve in the second half, Mountain View repeatedly sent the ball into the Princess Anne circle and squeezed off shots that somehow missed the net.

Gay had a good chance late in the game, but her quick one-timer rolled just wide as Princess Anne escaped with the win.

"I definitely thought the girls stepped up and played great," Sullivan said. "They left it all on the field."

So did North Stafford's defense. Led by Ashley Hilsinger, Morgan Curry and Rachel Hendrie, the Wolverines held up remarkably well in the face of a swarming Cox attack.

"My defense worked just as hard as I did. They all busted their butts," said Scroggin, better known for her power-hitting exploits with North Stafford's softball team.

The Falcons, who blanked Stafford 6-0 in last year's state final, earned 17 penalty corners to none for North Stafford (15-6) and spent all but a few minutes in their offensive zone. But they couldn't score until Witte sent a cross from the left wing that bounced off a North Stafford player in front of the goal and slipped inside the left post with 1:38 left in the first half.

The score was still 1-0 when Callie Wetzelberger had North Stafford's lone shot early in the second half, but Cox's goalie turned it aside and the Wolverines didn't threaten again.

"To come down here and hold Cox to three goals on a surface we've been on for an hour and a half was phenomenal," North Stafford coach Laura Cwick said. "We talked about the defense and midfield having to step up and they did that. I can't ask any more from them."

Jim McConnell: 540/374-5444
Email: jmcconnell@freelancestar.com