Stone Bridge stops Cosby, seizes crown

Central Region girls’ soccer player of the year Becca Wann didn’t have anything left in her tank.

She was exhausted. Her right leg hurt. Her cheeks were red from sun and tears. Her heart ached.

Wann and her Cosby Titans teammates lost 4-0 to Stone Bridge Saturday in the Virginia High School League Group AAA tournament at Westfield High School.

Wann noted her disappointment after “we worked our butts off.”

The Central Region is 0-27 in its quest to produce a state title-winning girls’ soccer team, but the region has had a finalist the past two years: Mills Godwin and Cosby.

Meanwhile, Stone Bridge, from nearby Ashburn, added title No. 24 (out of 27) to the Northern Region’s list of winners.

The Bulldogs’ first score Saturday was an own goal by Cosby in the 28th minute. Stone Bridge led 1-0 at the break.

“We talked about it at halftime. They didn’t score on us,” Wann said.

Titans coach Roger Lattimer made adjustments the Titans needed to make, but “they’re a team that puts it in the back of net.”

Said Wann, “They scored one goal after another; and before we knew it, it was 4-0.”

Ashley Herndon scored goal No. 2 in the 45th minute and No. 3 in the 49th off assists from Murielle Tiernan and Jazmyn Ervins. The final goal, in the 62nd minute, came from Sara Bowers, who finished off a saved shot she had taken.

Stone Bridge outshot the Titans 16-9.

Wann wasn’t the only Titan feeling some pain. Lindsay Carns took the brunt of a midfield collision with the Bulldogs’ Melanie Smith in the second half. Freshman defender Elena Wirz played with a cast on her arm from a late hit suffered in Friday’s semifinal. Still, the Titans made no excuses.

“We were ready to go. I thought we played a great game,” Lattimer said. “We had opportunities but didn’t capitalize. It seemed like the cards were against us today. We used up our luck.

“We gave it everything. For [Stone Bridge] to go undefeated (21-0-2) says a lot. It was still a great year [for us].”

Arthur Utley is a staff writer for the Richmond Times Dispatch.

Cosby ………….. 0 0 – 0
Stone Bridge …… 1 3 – 4

Saves: Blayne Fink (C) 4; Julia Harmison (SB) 4.