The Vashon Island High School girls varsity soccer team traveled to the peninsula on Nov. 5 to compete in their first district play-off of the 2019 season against the Klahowya Eagles but did not close out with a victory, losing 3-1.
The evening was crisp and the stadium was full of enthusiastic fans rooting for their teams. As expected, Klahowya arrived ready to defend their home turf.
Vashon looked nervous upon kick-off, struggling to make a connection throughout the game. There were promising moments, but a majority of the match was spent defending Vashon’s keeper, Tamsen Henry, who recently returned from a concussion just in time to take part in the tournament.
The Eagles displayed a solid passing game, while Vashon attempted to find their footing. Within the first ten minutes, Klahowya successfully scored twice. Vashon defenders Hannah Spranger, Myra Butler and Leah Gross all worked hard moving the ball forward. Toward the end of the first half, a foul was called against the Eagles in Vashon’s box, allowing for Senior Sydnee Adams to boot a beautiful shot past the keeper.
With a one-goal deficit, Vashon entered the second half with a newfound fire under their feet. There were moments when the Pirates looked poised to tie the game. Corrine Ryan and Phoebe Wilkie stepped up their play, setting teammates up with possibilities, working to feed the offensive line. Keeper Henry had several impressive acrobatic saves. Her fearless athletic ability continues to wow. Defender Hannah Spranger prevented a goal with a strong boot from behind Henry, the right place at the right time.
Vashon had a couple of opportunities to score throughout the second half of the game. A promising feed from sophomore Franki Brown to senior Sydnee Adams looked like it was going in. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the Pirate’s night. Klahowya was able to score one more at the end.
Two days after their Klahowya defeat, the team ventured to Orting on Nov. 7 for their match against Bellevue Christian. Vashon arrived confident they could win, and played accordingly, resulting in a 2-0 victory.
Out of the gate, the Pirate’s defensive line-up looked strong. Spranger, Butler, Gross, Jenna Harold and Vera Moses played their positions well, escorting the ball up the field. Junior Payton Venturi and Brown both provided Adams with opportunities to score within the first few moments of play.
The majority of the game was spent back and forth around the center line and in Bellevue’s defensive territory. Both Adams and Brown attempted finishing shots that came close to going in. Ryan seized a throw-in opportunity from Brown, placing the ball into the back of the net for a 1-0 lead at the half.
The next forty minutes of play saw several endeavors on Bellevue’s keeper. Venturi, Brown and Adams all had their chances to up the score. Several shots dramatically bounced off Bellevue’s goal bar, making for exciting play. While the temperature dropped, the Pirates never let up. Adams captured the ball around mid-field, dribbling through and around Bellevue’s players, sending a strong cross-shot right past the keeper, solidifying the victory for the Pirates.
— Karson Brown is the mother of sophomore midfielder Franki Brown.
