Waynesboro comes alive in second half

By Robert Sisk

Published: May 1, 2008

It took 40 minutes for Waynesboro to find its game, but once it did the Little Giants unleashed a fierce offensive attack.
“We just didn’t play well [in the first half],” said Waynesboro coach Robin Hersey. “We didn’t pass the ball or trap the ball. We didn’t do anything that has led to our success all year.”
The Little Giants played a dismal first half against Rockbridge and entered the halftime break stuck in a 0-0 tie. Once the teams reentered the field, Waynesboro found its passing game and scored 13 minutes into the second stanza and added two more in extra minutes to pick up the 3-0 Southern Valley District win over the Wildcats.
“They did all the things they didn’t do in the first half,” Hersey said. “Even though it took us a while to score we did a good job of staying on the attack.”
Vicki Andersen had her foot in all three goals, picking up an assist on the first goal, scoring the final goal and kicking the corner kick that eventually set up the second goal.
Taylor Sayer scored the first goal with 27:46 left in the second half from eight yards out after Andersen kicked a perfect centering feed from deep in the corner.
“I love doing crosses and I just did what I do and it happened,” Andersen said.
The Little Giants went on the defensive after the goal, while the Wildcats looked for a desperation goal to even the score. At the 10-minute mark Rockbridge’s Veronica Correa got a breakaway and let loose a kick from 15 yards out. Waynesboro keeper Kate Garber, who was returning after a concussion that left her sidelined for three weeks, squared up and shot the Wildcats’ hopes, corralling the ball.
“She had two pretty spectacular saves,” Hersey said.
In extra minutes, Bree Simonson scored the giants security goal after Andersen put the ball in play from the corner. The ball bounced around in a scrum before Simonson shot it into the corner.
“I love placing it in the center and hoping someone is there to nail it in,” Andersen said. “With Taylor and Bree it happens a lot because they know what to do up top.”
The Wildcats laid the pressure on as the clock ticked down, but a ferocious Giant defense kept them off the board.
“We didn’t let down our focus,” said Waynesboro’s Drew Nasholds. “At first we were getting beat to every ball, but in the second half we came together as a team.”
Andersen scored the final goal in the waning seconds to complete her offensive performance.
“My first breakaway I blew so I knew I had to be calm with it and it worked out,” Andersen said.
The Little Giants have three games remaining on their schedule before the Southern Valley tournament begins, including tonight’s rematch with Rockbridge at Waynesboro.