PORT ANGELES — In avenging a season-opening loss on the road to Olympic, the Port Angeles girls soccer team showed off what it has become in this shortened season — a strong-defending squad that controls play in the midfield and offers explosive scoring potential.
The Roughriders (8-1) dominated the Trojans in a 3-0 senior night win at Wally Sigmar Field at Peninsula College on Thursday night, scoring a goal late in the first half by freshman Izzy Felton and getting second-half tallies by Teagan Clark on a penalty kick and Millie Long following her own header in the goal box off of a corner kick.
“We realized we were the better team and we started playing like it,” Long said. “We remembered the last game and it hyped us up to beat them. I honestly think that first game, I don’t want to say a fluke, but it was not us that game, not at all.”
In the rematch Port Angeles shut down Olympic’s offensive opportunities, limiting the Trojans to four shots all game, while also frustrating Olympic’s defense by controlling possession and consistently making runs at the goal.
The Trojans back line resorted to physical play to try and knock the Riders off their game.
It didn’t work.
Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News Port Angeles’ Jada Cargo-Acosta, left, dribbles past Olympic’s Kaleia Sandback on Thursday night at Peninsula College in Port Angeles.
“I thought it was kind of funny because when they realized that they couldn’t compete with us or score goals, the [ball] is always on their side and they have to deal with us up top, and they started to get frustrated,” Long said. “It was funny seeing that girl talk to the crowd. Once we started making eye contact with them and talking to them we got in their heads. They got in their own heads.”
Felton’s goal was the spark Port Angeles needed just before halftime.
“Isabelle, she shined,” Long said. “That first goal was a confidence booster.”
Port Angeles head coach Scott Moseley is happy with the growth the team has made in just a few short weeks.
“The first game that we played against Olympic we were just out of sorts. I think everyone from the coaches on down were a bit wide-eyed that we were playing a game,” Moseley said. “I told the girls that it’s been fun to see their transition from a team that kind of does boot-and-run and plays really direct to where they are playing really fun soccer to watch. They are knocking the ball around, they are patient, it’s skillful.
With Olympic focused on slowing the Riders’ offense, Port Angeles showed it can still find the net.
“In the past we would have struggled with a team that packed it in, but we have grown enough that we can knock the ball around and be patient and not just serve crosses in, but wear them out,” Moseley said. “It gets tiring chasing the ball.”
Long was fouled in the box in the 53rd minute and Clark stepped up and booted the penalty kick cleanly for a 2-0 lead.
Later, Felton sent in a good corner kick to the near post that Long headed toward goal. The ball glanced around the box and Long was there to blast it into net, a perfect capper for senior night.
“I try to work on getting in the box and getting those rebounds,” Long said. “In the past I used to ball watch but it works out if you are in there fighting for it.”
Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News Port Angeles’ Piper Williams, center, squeezes past Olympic’s Ashli Evitts, right, as Ryleigh Barrett of Olympic looks on at left during Thursday’s match at Peninsula College in Port Angeles.
Moseley was pleased with his defensive back line, which picked up its fifth shutout in nine game.
“Jayde [Gedelman] and Paige [Mason] did well at outside back,” Moseley said. “They have to swing the ball and get it forward. I thought they played some of their best. Eve [Burke] is solid and consistent and there’s just a reason we aren’t letting teams score or even get shots on goal.”
Port Angeles seniors Long, Hannah Reetz, Brielle Keywood, Katelyn Sheldon and Jada Cargo-Acosta were honored in a pre-match ceremony.
The Riders will travel to Klahowya (5-1-1) with the Olympic League North Division title on the line Tuesday and will wrap the season with a de facto league title crossover game at Class 3A Central Kitsap (8-0) on Thursday.
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Sports reporter Michael Carman can be contacted at 360-406-0674 or mcarman@peninsuladailynews.com.
Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News Port Angeles’ Millie Long, right, looks past the defense of Olympic’s Claire Caldwell in the first half of Thursday night’s match at Peninsula College in Port Angeles.
