Despite outshooting their opponent 18-0, the Bearcats were level with the Highclimbers on Thursday night until freshman Greta Oien buried the winner to give them a 1-0 triumph in an Evergreen Conference tussle in Shelton.
Oien’s goal came in the 71st minute. It started with a pass from Sable Bunker to Mirabel Burger, who then found Oien at the top of the 18-yard box to keep W.F. West (8-0-2, 3-0 EvCo) in first place.
“We’ve asked her to adapt as a player,” Bearcats head coach Kevin Schultz said of his freshman striker. “She’s had to be patient (and) adjust to a different situation. It is exciting for us.”
Roughly 48 hours after beating Tumwater for the first time in nine years, W.F. West came down to earth slightly. Schultz admitted it was “almost a trap game” with how Shelton played. He credited the Highclimbers' physicality.
The Bearcats now get to face their Lewis County rivals Centralia on Tuesday night at home with a record that remains without a loss.
“It’ll have a different energy, but it is always tough,” Schultz said. “Now that we’ve been winning games, we’re gonna get everybody's best game now.”
