Girls Soccer 2A Olympic League

standings as of Oct. 3

Olympic 6-0, 8-1

Sequim 4-1, 6-2

North Kitsap 3-2, 4-3-1

Port Angeles 2-3, 3-4

North Mason 2-3, 2-4-2

Kingston 1-4, 1-7

Bremerton 0-5, 0-7-1

Another set of close games put the Lady Wolves soccer squad ahead of recent seasons in the win column.

Last week, Sequim (4-1, 6-2) defeated rival Port Angeles (2-3, 3-4) on Sept. 27 in a shootout at Civic Field by three goals to one. They also took another close victory, 1-0, on the road in Kingston (1-4, 1-7) on Sept. 29.

As with the Wolves’ 1-0 win over North Kitsap, they faced off in penalty kicks with the Roughriders.

Port Angeles controlled the ball most of the first half, but head coach Derek Vander Velde said Sequim’s girls stepped up their intensity, battled more and played with teamwork and heart in the second half and in two overtimes.

“There were several close opportunities, unfortunately the ladies could not find the back of the net during regulation time,” he said.

In the shootout, Sequim’s Adare McMinn, Yana Hoesel and Claire Payne scored while Port Angeles was held to one goal on goalkeeper Claire Henninger who had 14 saves in the game.

“I honestly love shootouts,” Henninger said. “If we go to PK, I know we’ll win every time.”

When she awaits a shot, she knows when she has an opponent figured out.

“If they look at me, I know I’ve got them,” Henninger said. “They either miss or I can tell where they’ll go.”

The win was big for Sequim because they last defeated Port Angeles on Oct. 28, 2013 in Sequim.

For the most recent game, the Wolves took 16 shots.

Two days later, Vander Velde said the Wolves struggled to find a rhythm in Kingston despite Jessica Dietzman scoring Sequim’s only goal in the first half.

However, they upped their effort in the second half, he said, playing “a style of game that we have been practicing and looked like a fluid machine on the soccer pitch.”

Vander Velde said the girls had a quicker pace, better passes and more communication leading to 10 shots on goal and four saves for Henninger.

Through his first season, Vander Velde said he’s found the Wolves to be fighters on the field.

“They don’t put their heads down,” he said. “They continue fighting all the way through. There’s an air about them. They just want to play.”

“Stepping off the field, they know they’ve left their hearts on the field. All that’s what’s important to them,” Vander Velde said.

Defender Cristina Williams said with so many close games the team has found themselves pushing harder.

“We’re trying new things and I feel like we’re stronger,” she said.

“We’re like a machine. It’s not just certain people doing certain things but we’re all one unit.”

Defender Chloie Sparks stated similar sentiment.

“It’s not like one person is doing it all but it’s all spread out,” she said.

“I feel like we know each other better. I feel like we’re playing more like a team, more like a family.”

This week, Sequim hosted Bremerton (0-5, 0-7-1) on Tuesday and they travel to Olympic (6-0, 8-0) on Thursday, Oct. 6. Sequim lost 1-0 to the Trojans on Sept. 13 at home.

Reach Matthew Nash at mnash@sequimgazette.com.