SUMNER — The Adna Pirates were able to rebound from their semifinal loss on Friday and earn a 3-0 win over Liberty Bell to take third place at the State 2B girls soccer tournament here at Sunset Chev Stadium on Saturday.
It was a scoreless first 25 minutes before Payton Aselton took a shot from just outside the box that floated over the goalkeeper and into the net for a 1-0 lead.
The Pirates made it 2-0 in the 35th minute off a corner kick from Aselton that found its way to Cierra Swenson, blasting a shot into the net for a two goal advantage at halftime.
Adna added another goal in the 61st minute on a corner kick from Brynn Arrington and after a scramble in front of the net, Kayden McCombs was able to find twine for the final score of the game.
“The kids adapted. They came up with plans on their own, they wanted to create more chances and they did all that,” Adna coach Juli Aselton said. “Obviously, we would have loved to have had yesterday’s game, but again, we felt we played hard yesterday but we felt like we came back today and picked up our heads and we had a fantastic game.”
Aselton was pleased with her defense against the Mountain Lions, including Brynn Arrington anchoring the unit and not allowing many threats to reach goalkeeper Makaela Meister, recording her 17th clean sheet of the season. She was also pleased with being able to get everyone into the game.
“We usually try to get everybody in, at least the seniors but most of the seniors are already starting. We figure that usually when you put in different players on the field, it makes the chemistry a little different,” Aselton said. “It just breaks it up from maybe their defense is just on one person and if you move it around. It kind of confuses them. It was my plan to try to get everyone in and it worked out great.”
Adna finished the season 19-2 overall, with the only losses coming against Kalama in the district championship and state semifinals.
It was the final prep soccer game for Adna’s Rachel Burke, Emily Sliva, Cassidy Kuzmic and Olivia Rodriguez.
The team will reload for next season, with a lot of younger players seeing some quality playing time this season. Aselton noted the contributions from Madi Stark, a freshman who started the final two games for the Pirates on defense as well as sophomore Keaton Dowell in the midfield. She also mentioned Summer White, a freshman starting midfielder and fellow freshman midfielder Macy Kalnoski.
“They’re calm and the best thing I love is they learn. They listen and that’s how you make a team is if they’re listening and willing to change up what they’ve done in the past,” Aselton said. “I can’t say enough about those freshman, they really filled in a lot of gaps today and this year. They’re going to be great to have next year and we’re going to be getting some, we’re not going to get as many players next year, but we still have a couple good ones coming in.”
Add on top of that the firepower that will be the senior class next season in Payton Aselton, Cierra and Jordyn Swenson, Alyssa Dougherty, Makaela Meister, Brynn Arrington and Lorien Walker, the Pirates will look to be a top contender once again in the state come Fall 2019.
“I think they’re probably ready to start practicing right now but I think they probably need a break. Of course there will always be those nerves of is it lucky number seven next year?” Aselton said. “We’ve just got to keep working and improving on what we’re doing and we’ve got a lot of key players that can shift and move around so we’re excited.”
