The Vashon Pirate soccer team celebrated its seniors night last Thursday.
Ana and Camille de Guzman along with Hannah Van Dusen and Ray Weller played their last home game at the Vashon stadium before graduating next June. And what a game it turned out to be. Against its biggest rivals, the Tarriers of Charles Wright, Vashon put on a display of possession and attacking soccer that provided the team with a decisive victory and kept its slim playoff hopes alive.
The game began in a nervy fashion for the home side with several key players making errors that could have been costly. But as the first half progressed, the Pirates took control, and in the 15th minute, Camille de Guzman fired in front with a run that baffled the Tarrier defense and a superbly struck shot that beat the goalie. Within five minutes, Vashon doubled its lead with Van Dusen’s looping shot, which looked quite savable, tumbling over the head of a the Charles Wright goalkeeper. It became a one-sided game until Charles Wright mounted some pressure toward the end of a half totally dominated by the Pirates. Vashon managed to keep them at bay and held a comfortable 2-0 lead at the half.
The second half began in much the same vein as the first with Vashon pressing the ball and mounting attack after attack on the Tarrier goal. Ten minutes in, as another Pirate attack was seemingly coming to a halt, the ball ricocheted off a Tarrier defender and fell to Bailey Ormsby, who from a more than 25 yards out, blasted what might be the goal of the season into the Tarrier net. Vashon won 3-0 and played all 21 players at some point in the game. The team saw the match out with some ease to record another victory and to make it a night to remember for all four retiring seniors.
After the game, each senior was presented with a bouquet of flowers and a gift from their teammates and coach Karen Olsen.
The team played Bellevue Christian on Tuesday, after press time, and will play Cascade Christian on Saturday at Sunset Stadium.
— Alan Zoltie is the assistant coach of the VHS girls’ soccer team.
