Sequim’s defensive effort stood tall when striker Taryn Johnson ran on to an Olive Bridge pass and scored inside the final minute of double overtime to lift the Wolves to a 2-1 OT victory over class 3A Bainbridge on Sept. 26.

“We went into OT and the message was ‘Relax, we are going to win this one,’” Sequim coach Ken Garling said. “The first five minutes of OT, it was back and forth effort from both teams. Second OT, same formula. We defended well and with less than a minute, we stayed compact defensively and Olive Bridge made a great play.

“She saw Taryn between two defenders at midfield, saw her making that run and put a fantastic ball up to her. Taryn found an extra gear and blazed right past the defenders for a one-on-one versus the keeper and she buried it in the back of the net.”

With less than a minute left, Garling said, Sequim coaches were talking about who is taking the penalty kicks in a shootout.

Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell / Sequim’s Nikoline Updike looks for an open teammate in the first half of the Wolves’ Olympic League match-up against Bainbridge on Sept. 26.

“It was just a great team effort,” he said. “I thought the girls fight was so impressive. They may bend a little bit, but they don’t break.

“We were able to compete and hang in there, this is playoff soccer, these are the teams we will face and we are getting great experience.”

Johnson notched her first goal around the 20th minute mark to put the Wolves up 1-0.

“Taryn found a seam, Jenny Gomez found the space with the assist and we were up 1-0 at halftime,” Garling said.

Bainbridge received a penalty in the Sequim goal box about 15 minutes into the second half.

Wolves goalkeeper Kalli Grove stood up to save the penalty kick attempt, but the Spartans crashed the rebound and tied the game at 1-1.

“Really good play by Kalli, [but] good play by Bainbridge as well,” Garling said.

The Wolves regrouped and played shutout soccer the rest of the match.

Sequim’s Kaia Lestage, left, battles with Bainbridge’s Elizabeth Stuyvesant in the first half of a Sept. 26 Olympic League showdown.

“We had to be sound defensively and get them out of their defensive shape,” Garling said.

The Sequim coach had high praise for center back defenders Libby Turella and Ivy Barrett at center back.

“And our outside backs, Mikkiah Winters and Amara Gonzalez, kept their strong strikers at bay. Great defensive performance.”

Garling also said Kaia Lestage was sound up the middle.

“Anything up the middle Kaia was all over,” Garling said. “And great distribution to our wingers.”

Grove came through late in the game in goal, he added.

“Can’t say enough about Kalli, she had a couple of shots that were just dangerous late and she came up and made some plays,” Garling said. “Just a great team win.”

Gomez nets hat trick

Senior midfielder Jenny Gomez collected a hat trick and dished out an assist as the Wolves (5-1 in Olympic League and overall) shook off a slow start on the road for a 5-1 win on Sept. 28.

With teammate Jennyfer Gomez (10) looking on, Sequim’s Olive Bridge seeks an open teammate in the second half of a Sept. 26 Olympic League home game against Bainbridge.

“We weren’t connecting passes and were a little disjointed to start,” Garling said. “It was cold and rainy, maybe that had something to do with it, but we weren’t connecting on our passes in the first 20 minutes like we normally do.

Johnson found Gomez for the game’s first goal in the 23rd minute.

“Taryn Johnson sent a nice through ball to Jenny and she buried it in the back of the net,” Garling said.

Johnson found Gomez again about 10 minutes later. In the 32nd minute, Garling said, Johnson dribbled the ball through to the corner, turned their outside left back and got a cross in to the 6-yard box. Gomez was there to tap it in the back of the net.

“Such a great pass and goal,” he said.

Gomez returned the favor on Johnson’s 66th minute goal for a 3-0 Wolves’ lead; it was Gomez’ team-leading fourth assist of the campaign.

Johnson notched her second score in the 72nd minute — her 17th goal of the season — and Gomez notched her third goal in the 75th minute.

Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell / Sequim’s Kaia Lestage, right, looks to stop the advance of Bainbridge’s Riley Becker in the second half of a Sept. 26 Olympic League game.

“Our outside right back Harper Moore made a great run up the outside and she found Jenny with a cross and Jenny buried it into the corner,” Garling said.

“We were happy to see Jenny get her hat trick and Harper to show great vision and execution.”

Bremerton scored a goal in the final minute to avoid the shutout.

Looking ahead

Sequim was scheduled to host the Kingston Buccaneers on Oct. 3; results were not available at press time.

The Wolves are at North Mason on Oct. 5 and at Port Angeles on Oct. 10.

Sequim hosts Olympic on Oct. 12 before a showdown with North Kitsap Oct. 17 in Poulsbo.