Adna's Jordyn Swenson (4) kicks the ball downfield during a game against Kalama Monday night at Pirate Stadium.
Adna's Zarine Walker (16) scores a goal during a game against Kalama Monday night at Pirate Stadium.
Adna's Zarine Walker (16) celebrates her goal with Presley Smith (23) who assisted during a game against Kalama Monday night at Pirate Stadium.
Adna's Payton Aselton (5) gains control of the ball during a game against Kalama Monday night at Pirate Stadium.
Kalama's Alyviah Turmel (1) kicks the ball down field as Adna's Cierra Swensen (10) hits the ground during a game against Kalama Monday night at Pirate Stadium.
Adna's Keaton Dowell (20) controls the ball during a game against Kalama Monday night at Pirate Stadium.
Adna girls celebrate after Jordyn Swenson (4) shot the game winning goal during a shootout Monday night at Pirate Stadium.
ADNA — In regulation, Adna goalkeeper Makaela Meister wasn’t able to stop a penalty kick by Kalama’s Ruby Jackson, a goal that tied the game which eventually led to a shootout.
Meister more than made up for it in the shootout, making three saves to help Adna win 2-1 against the Chinooks in a Central 2B League girls soccer game here on Monday night.
“It’s just kind of instinct, you know. I just read their feet I guess, I don’t know how to explain it,” Meister said. “I’ve been goalkeeping for a while so I kind of got used to it after a while, kind of reading people and how their body is but yeah, just got to stay calm and go with your instinct.”
The win puts the Pirates in the driver's seat for their second straight Central 2B League crown and needs one win out of their final two games.
“I was really proud of the girls today. You’ve always got that anxiety of playing a team that’s super good and they haven’t lost very many games either so we knew it was going to be a good game but we worked on some things, worked on our marking, worked on pushing up, we made some good runs,” Adna coach Juli Aselton said. “I mean, we just kept shooting, shooting, shooting. They did a good job of packing the box and of course double teaming some of our girls but we found a way around that. I feel like we could have had more goals out of tonight and I told the girls before the shootout, win or lose, we have played a heck of a game tonight and I was really proud of them.”
Adna scored in the fourth minute, with Zarine Walker cleaning up a loose ball in front of the net on an assist by Presley Smith for an early 1-0 lead.
The Pirate lead held until stoppage time of the first half on an Adna penalty inside their defensive box and Kalama was awarded a penalty kick. Jackson stepped up and made the kick to even the score at one at halftime.
“The first PK, I was really confused because legally, you’re only supposed to touch the ball once,” Meister said. “She started with her foot on the ball and then he blew the whistle, so I was kind of confused with that but it was a great shot so I was kind of nervous but I had to stay calm.”
In the second half, Adna dominated time of possession and had several shots and corner kicks, but Kalama goalkeeper Mary Morrell made some great saves to keep the game knotted at one.
“We were just like keep going. It’s hard to get frustrated. You sit there and you think one of them has got to go in but how do you fault the girls when they’re still moving and passing and shooting,” Aselton said. “We wanted them to get it off of their foot a little bit quicker because we would make a couple runs and then maybe lose it, but realistically, they were switching the ball good. They were seeing where the openings were, it’s hard to get frustrated when they’re doing what you ask them to do.”
After more shots by Adna and saves by Kalama in the two five-minute overtime periods, it was still even at one goal each.
In the shootout, Adna’s Payton Aselton, Brynn Arrington and Jordyn Swenson all made their shots, while Mesiter missed the second shot. Meister stopped Lily Given first and allowed a goal on the second shooter, Sophie Given, before stopping Kailey Shipley and Ava Beck to allow Swenson to bury the game-winning penalty kick for the Pirates.
“Makaela has had a heck of a year. She’s just reading the ball a lot better this year. She’s always been good but she’s just spot on, especially after she misses her own kick and then to get back in there mentally and stop the next one is huge,” coach Aselton said. “Honestly, we haven’t practiced. Every year, we usually practice, every day at the end of practice, we practice our kicks and we haven’t practiced this year and I said ‘Just go out and kick it.’ You guys will be fine, just keep it in the goal and nobody kicked it over so it worked.”
With just one win needed to secure a league title and the top seed into the district tournament, the Pirates are excited about potentially earning another Central 2B League championship and achieving even more in the postseason.
“I’m always impressed with the girls. The thing that I have to say is that they’re still sticking together,” Aselson said. “We’ve started with some new lineups and some new people in different places and working the ball around and every girl has stuck with that and thought positive and working hard. I’m really impressed with the girls and if we get another league title, that’s awesome.”
Napavine Blanks Toutle Lake
TOUTLE — Chloe Stewart scored two goals in the first half and Zaylii Orozco had a clean sheet as Napavine won 4-0 against Toutle Lake in a Central 2B League girls soccer game here on Monday.
Stewart scored in the third and 10th minutes for a 2-0 lead at halftime. Liliana Marcial found the back of the net in the 56th minute and Makensee Taliaferro Bouge completed the scoring in the 67th minute for the Tigers.
Orozco made 10 saves in the shutout.
“They played very well. We started to get a little hectic and sloppy going into the end of the first half,” Napavine coach Emily McCarthy said. “At halftime, we talked about what we needed to work on and we came back in the second half and corrected their errors. They knew they needed to come in and win this game for districts and they came in and got the job done.”
McCarthy highlighted Kazmira Hardenbrook for absorbing two shots and continuing to play hard and also noted Taliaferro Bouge for scoring an impressive goal from a tough angle in the second half.
Napavine (7-7, 4-3) hosts Winlock Wednesday on senior night for the Tigers.
Toledo Cruises Past Ilwaco
TOLEDO — Toledo dominated possession against Ilwaco on a muddy field here on Monday to secure a 5-0 win in a Central 2B League girls soccer game.
Marina Smith scored in the 11th minute on an assist by Jazzy Zarate and the same connection tallied another goal in the 19th minute for a 2-0 lead at halftime.
Rose Dillon found the back of the net in the 55th minute on an assist by Grace Tauscher. Zarate tallied a goal in the 58th minute on an assist by Briza Gallegos. Ilwaco scored an own goal in the 60th minute off a corner kick from Dillon.
Toledo goalkeeper Kaylee Veigel made four saves in the clean sheet. The Indians had 28 shots, including 23 shots on frame.
“The field is in terrible condition after the football game on Friday, but the girls adjusted really well to that. I didn’t know if the girls were going to play well on the mud, but in the 11th minute, Marina opened up the scoring and we opened up consistently after that,” Toledo coach Noel Vazquez said. “We did a good job passing-wise. Bree (Gallegos) did a good job and played a big part in today’s win. Overall, the team played really well.”
Smith is up to 13 goals and five assists and Dillon has collected 10 goals and 12 assists for Toledo this season and Vazquez noted the success of both players being a key component to their success.
Toledo (10-4, 5-2) travels to Toutle Lake on Wednesday.
