R.E. Lee ends Waynesboro’s season

By Corine Gatti The News Virginian
Published: May 16, 2008

STAUNTON — Robert E. Lee defeated the Little Giants 4-1 on Friday afternoon ending Waynesboro’s season. Lee came back from a goal deficient and netted three more during the last half of a match to reserve a spot against Stuarts Draft next Tuesday in the Southern Valley Tournament.
Lee coach Andrew Green said his team had the right motivation against the Giants. It all started at Waynesboro. The Giants defeated Lee at home 5-1 in its first match. That game was pivotal for Lee.
“After we lost to Waynesboro at the beginning of the season, parents sent me a quote that was printed in The News Virginian. It was said that [Giants] ‘talent beats aggressiveness any day,’ meaning us” Green said. “After that, it really motivated the girls to play hard.”
It didn’t start that way at Montgomery Park. The Giants’ had possession most of first half, but derailed rapidly in the second half.
“Waynesboro is a good team and well coached, they outplayed us in the beginning, but we found what we needed to win,” Green said.
Giants coach Robin Hersey made no excuses for his team losing its lead.
“Our defense did a good job, but our midfielders missed their marks,” Hersey said. “I don’t know what happened, all I can say is that we have been very inconsistent over the last five games. Communication might have been a part of it, but again, we are just too inconsistent.”
Waynesboro netted the first goal and but Lee, on a rebound, knotted the score going into the break. Lee came out, with the pressure, in the season quarter. Green said he did not give his team a pep talk. “They already knew what they did wrong, I didn’t have to point it out to them,” Green said.
Fort proved that they corrected its earlier mistakes by capitalizing on the opportunities and rallying with three goals in the second. Alex Hersch broke the tie with her shot from the mid-fielded that started the fire.
Hershey said it has been disappointing, the way the Giants have performed.
“We had a lot of injures at the beginning of the season, I thought that once we got healthy we would improve, but he didn’t,” Hersey said. “It’s very frustrating.”