Limbach’s hat trick bolsters Kellam
Knights knock off defending champ South County
ALDIE — Beating the defending state champion required an exceptional performance and Chloe Limbach delivered.
The senior forward recorded a hat trick as Kellam knocked off undefeated South County, the 2021 state champion, 3-1 in the Class 6 girls soccer semifinals Friday at John Champe High.
“This is definitely one of the highlights of my life,” said Limbach, a VCU signee. “I told these girls I didn’t come to play around, and I’m sticking to that and we’re gonna follow through to tomorrow.”
Kellam (18-1-0) will play Yorktown in a rematch of the 2017 state final at noon today at Freedom High. Yorktown won that game, so Kellam is seeking its first state championship since 2005.
“Since tryouts, we’ve been ring-chasing,” Limbach said. “This team wants it more than anything. It’s all we ever talk about.”
South County actually controlled much of the game, but Kellam converted its chances.
Limbach scored on a free kick four minutes into the game before the Stallions continued to press high into Kellam’s end. South County, which also dealt Class 5 state finalist First Colonial its only loss this season, played composed and kept Kellam’s normally stout defense on its toes.
“The first half, our biggest problem was we weren’t marking up,” senior defender Abigail Pesut said. “We were letting people free. It was really hurting us.”
Limbach provided another lifeline early in the second half when she drilled a shot over the keeper far post while a defender ran alongside.
South County finally broke through, scoring just the fourth goal against Kellam all season to make it 2-1.
“We talked about settling down, finding feet, finding our passes and finding those through balls for Chloe and Jashyra [Johnson] to run on to,” Pesut said.
The adjustments worked as Kellam played efficiently in the final 15 minutes, with Limbach scoring her third on another breakaway.
“Our team’s different in the fact that we’re not just all talented,” Pesut said. “We have incredible depth, first of all, so anyone that steps on the field, the
level of play is the same. But the support and the teamwork and chemistry just puts us way over. Even when we’re not playing our best, you saw the support and that changes it versus a normal team.”
Now the Knights are one win away from a state championship.
“[South County] was the defending state champion. They were undefeated for a reason,” Kellam coach Mario Hurdle said. “But we’re here for a reason, too.”