Beach District soccer: Cox sweeps boys and girls playoff games

VIRGINIA BEACH

A pair of underclassmen helped the Cox boys and girls soccer teams secure top-seeds in the upcoming Beach District tournament Friday night’s playoff games at Ocean Lakes.

Freshman Chris Albiston tucked away the go-ahead goal with less than 18 minutes remaining to lift the top-ranked Falcon boys (14-1-1) to a 3-2 win over No. 2 Princess Anne.

“I say Albiston out there at the back post,” said Cox forward Ryan Oakes, who provided the assist on the goal. “I whipped a ball in there and it had a good bounce.”

Sophomore Kara Braunstein lashed a ball just inside the left post midway through the second half power the third-ranked Falcon girls (13-3) to a 1-0 victory over No. 1 First Colonial.

“I just hit it with my right foot to try and bend it around the keeper,” Braunstein said.

The wins also clinched spots in the Eastern Region tournament for both Cox teams.

Broken play marked the girls opener, with both sides searching for a breakthrough with long balls booted back and forth. The bumpy surface of the field made it difficult for players to string passes together.

First Colonial (15-2) had its best chance to open the scoring late in the first half when Bailey Widman and Meaghan Dullea each shooting from close-range on goal, but Falcons keeper Kristin Carden hit the ground and sprawled out for three consecutive saves.

“She had some key point-blank saves for us there,” Cox coach Michele Hager Clark said.

Then, in the 55th minute, one of those balls bounced just right for the Falcons, and Braunstein turned and fired in the winning goal.

The action was also end to end in the boys nightcap with Princess Anne (14-2-1) dominating possession at the start.

The Cavaliers pressure paid off when Aden Weeks broke down the left side and crashed a shot off of keeper Matt Harkins, which rebounded right in the path of Tim Nguyen, who gave his side a 1-0 lead.

A 20-minute lightning delay halted play, and Caleb Thomas sparked the Falcons upon their return to the field with a driving run down the left side of his own and smashing a ball past Princess Anne keeper Casey Shotts.

“Alex (Martin) slipped me a ball, and I went for a run down the side,” Thomas said. “I saw the near post open and decided to go for it myself.”

Kyle Anderson headed in a goal off a corner kick from Sam Araujo to put the Cavaliers up again 10 minutes after halftime, but Cox leveled when Michael Scotland slotted in a penalty kick — Cox’ second within a five-minute span — with less than 20 minutes remaining.

Two minutes later, Oakes directed in a low, hard crossing pass from the right side of the penalty box that bounced over a diving Shotts and settled in front of Albiston at the far post.