SELAH — Port Angeles played a tough Selah team even in the first half, but gave up three second-half goals and were eliminated after a 3-0 loss to the Vikings in the opening round of the Class 2A State Girls Soccer Tournament.
It was the Roughriders’ first trip to state since 1986. They qualified as a No. 5 seed out of the West Central District, in which the Riders won two district tournament games. Selah (15-3-1) is the No. 1 seed of District 5/6. Selah came into the match Tuesday with 11 shutouts and has not given up a goal in the postseason.
Head coach Scott Moseley though the Roughriders’ hectic postseason schedule may have been a factor. The Riders (11-9-1) played seven games in just 15 days (including four games in six days during districts).
“We’ve basically played a whole season in two weeks and in the second half we just got tired out. Selah did a great job of passing the ball on their extremely-wide, home grass field and wore us down,” Moseley said.
Moseley said the Riders were able to give the Vikings a hard time early.
“Selah’s offense was long, inconsequential shots, while Port Angeles narrowly missed on a volley from Taylar Clark in the eighth minute and a breakaway by CC [Sierra] Robinson in the 17th minute,” he said.
Selah scored a quick goal in the second half in the 45th minute, but Port Angeles kept it 1-0 until the 60th minute when the Vikings scored again. Selah added an insurance goal in the 74th minute.
Moseley singled out Robinson for her work on offense and Kyrsten McGuffey’s defensive play in Tuesday’s defeat.
The season saw Port Angeles return to state for the first time in 30 years, with three victories at Districts, including two that went to overtime and penalty kick shootouts, as the Riders posted 11 wins and a school-record tying seven shutouts.
