Robertson’s hat trick fuels Menchville
NEWPORT NEWS — Chasing down a ball bouncing toward goal, why not just flick it over the goalkeeper and into the far netting?
Sydney Robertson opted for flair to complete a hat trick as Menchville beat visiting Smithfield 3-1 for the Class 4 Region A girls soccer championship Thursday.
“It’s a great accomplishment in my book,” said Robertson, a junior forward. “I’m just really excited I got the opportunity to do it and I capitalized on all those shots.”
Robertson leads the Monarchs’ high-flying attack that’s scored double-digit goals in four games this season.
A starter her freshman season, Robertson used her canceled sophomore season to upgrade her technical ability, and it’s been a boon for a Menchville team that already had talented players such as Madisyn Strange and Zoe Villarreal.
Robertson is “incredibly fast, she’s incredibly technical,” Menchville coach Dennis Zollicoffer said. “She’s a 360 player, so if you think she’s going one direction, she can turn quickly to create shooting options.”
Her first goal confirmed that as she quickly cut inside to loft a long shot inside the far post in the seventh minute.
Ten minutes later, Strange deftly dribbled her way out of a claustrophobic corner and drilled a cross that Robertson deflected in.
“They’re just dynamic players,” Zollicoffer said. “I’ve coached for a long time and you get players like these once every five to six years or 10 years. I’m just fortunate to have all of them together.”
Menchville (12-0-1) remains unbeaten, but that doesn’t mean the team hasn’t faced its adversity or changed since the season’s beginning.
“I feel like we’ve come together more as a family and that helped with our chemistry, how we read other players and where we want the ball,” said Robertson, who plans to attend identification camps for a future in collegiate soccer.
Leadership has become a focal point for Robertson, too.
“Coach’s dream,” Zollicoffer said. “You see a great soccer player on the field, but many times you don’t see the player behind the scenes and you never know what type of temperament and disposition they have. She is so selfless. She is team-first.
“... She has such a strong emotional intelligence where if somebody’s day is off, she can almost sense it and she, as a leader, fixes that issue and makes that player feel wanted.”
In turn, the Monarchs can look ahead to Monday’s Class 4 semifinals as they chase a state title.
“She’s the type of girl that will blend into any type of group and people feel safe with her,” Zollicoffer said. “She’s like the glue around the entire team.”