Suffolk News-Herald

For their team’s 10-0 win over visiting Hampton on Monday afternoon, Nansemond River’s Ashley Aston and Amber Shaffer decided to switch roles.

Up until this point in the season, it’s been Aston’s job to score goals and Shaffer’s job to stop them. But after the Lady Warriors raced to a 5-0 halftime advantage, the pair figured it was safe to try something new. Shaffer handed Aston her leg guards and helmet, and hurried to midfield to attack the goal for only the second time in two years.

It paid off; less than six minutes into the half, Shaffer smacked in an assist from Katelyn Yandle for her first varsity goal.

&uot;I was excited,&uot; said Shaffer, who played in the field for a brief time against Deep Creek last season. &uot;It was different and new.&uot;

Aston, who shut out the Lady Crabber offense for the remainder of the game, felt the same way.

&uot;My legs felt rubbery because of the pads,&uot; she said. &uot;Amber wanted to play up, and I’d never played goalie before.&uot;

Jessica Watahovich helped the Lady Warriors get revenge on the city of Hampton (they fell to city-mate Kecoughtan in the Suffolk Invitational Field Hockey tournament last weekend) four minutes into the game with an unassisted goal, and Yandle assisted on an Erin Rice score soon afterward. Aston knocked in a pass from Heather Proffit, then passed to Natalie Sims for a 4-0 lead. Yandle finished out the half’s scoring with 13 minutes left.

After Shaffer’s goal, Watahovich assisted on a score by Cristina Valdevisio, and Heather Horton helped Rice get her second goal. Anna Key knocked in a score with eight minutes on the clock, and Horton sent a corner stroke to Yandle for the final goal.

The Lady Warriors host Indian River today, while King’s Fork hosts Great Bridge. Lakeland goes to Western Branch.