By Phil Murphy
Senior Multimedia/Content Editor
Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area
After its Virginia AAA State championship last season, the Rams returned nine starters to this year’s club.
But after the graduation of Katherine Yount, now at William & Mary, Robinson had to replace the most critical position in soccer, if not in all sports: Goalkeeper.
So far, though, the transition has been seamless. And, to the dismay of teams around the region and state, Yount’s successor is only getting more comfortable between the pipes.
Sophomore Charlotte Owens anchored a well-organized defensive effort as No. 1 Robinson reasserted its position atop the area against No. 3 Chantilly, 2-0, on Friday night.
The Chargers entered the match as the third-highest scoring team in the Northern Region — with 25 goals — before they were held scoreless for the first time this year.
“It’s really hard to take Katherine’s place,” said Owens after her fourth clean sheet through seven games. “But I’m doing the best I can. There are a lot of responsibilities I have to fill. I’m trying to get shutouts [in] as many games as I can. It’s hard, but I just have to keep working at it. As you can see tonight, I’m starting to get it down.
“With all the seniors and the coaching staff, I’ve grown so much as a player and I can’t ask for much more.”
Beyond the experience around her, Owens has gotten more-than-ample offensive backing from an experienced front line.
Robinson, which has allowed only four goals this year, has scored 19, despite playing a brutal out-of-district schedule, including games with nationally-ranked W.T. Woodson and Deep Run.
And it jumped on the board early on Thursday.
In the 16th minute, Ram senior Jensen Smith played an in-swinging corner kick to the top of the six-yard box, where senior Annie Hovland was streaking in for an empathic header.
For Hovland, who plays for the BRYC Blue Thunder club team, it was her sixth goal of the season, a team-high.
“I run back post, usually, for corner kicks,” said Hovland, a defender on the Blue Thunder, but a midfielder for Robinson. “It was kind of hard in this game because a lot of their players would mob, so I kind of had to push through. The header was just great because you can’t really see and then — woo! — you scored.
“It was really nice to get us on the board.”
An own goal in the 35th minute added an insurance score for the Rams, which proved inconsequential.
The battle of the night was in the middle third of the field, which was littered with future Division I talent.
Chantilly central midfielders Cortlyn Bristol (William & Mary) and Katie Menzie (James Madison) battled tirelessly with Robinson freshman Barbara Platenburg, an Olympic Developmental Program player, and junior Brooke Curtis.
Despite Curtis being limited by an illness, the Ram duo had the slight edge and effectively kept possession in the attacking third, hindering any chance of a Charger comeback.
“I think Barbara and Brooke, our center mids, do a great job on defense,” Hovland said. “Brooke wins a lot of the punts and stuff. She has mono right now, but she still played great.
“I think the two of them together did a really good job of controlling the middle.”
Email: pmurphy@digitalsports.com
No. 3 Chantilly (6-1-1) 0 0 — 0
No. 1 Robinson (6-0-1) 2 0 — 2
Goals:
RB — Hovland (16′)
RB — Own Goal (35′)
Processing your request, Please wait....
