It took more than 77 minutes, but the Wolves found a way to win and move into third place in the Olympic League last week.
Following a close 1-0 home loss to Port Angeles on Sept. 26, Sequim (3-2, 5-3) found a way to win on their home turf with a 2-0 win over last place Kingston (0-5, 0-7) on Sept. 28.
Head Coach Derek Vander Velde said he “knew the Wolves would break through, unfortunately, we had to wait for 70 minutes.”
At 77 minutes in, Sequim’s Hope Glasser had a shot deflected by Kingston’s keeper, but Adare McMinn finished with a goal.
Sequim’s Daisy Ryan finished the game at 80 minutes in with a pass to Glasser who headed the ball into the goal.
Vander Velde said the girls set a team record under him with 21 shots on goal and Goalkeeper Claire Henninger recorded two keeper saves for the shutout.
Ryan said it took the Wolves so long to go-ahead was “because we weren’t connecting our passes and we were playing on their level.”
Vander Velde said he’s finding his team’s play to be “amazing.”
“They’re really coming together,” he said. “It’s a nice game of soccer to watch.”
See more photos from the game here.
The Wolves didn’t quite get the rematch they were hoping for against Port Angeles (4-1-0 5-3-0).
Last Tuesday was the first time the teams faced off since Port Angeles eliminated Sequim on Nov. 3, last year, from state contention in a 2-1 shootout with the Roughriders sinking three penalty kicks to Sequim’s two.
The Roughriders dominated the first half on Sept. 26, reports the Peninsula Daily News, with Port Angeles’ Kyrsten McGuffey setting up a goal for Delaney Wenzl 11 minutes in.
However, Sequim had a lot of opportunities in the second half to come even. Glasser helped jump start the Wolves with some close shots and several solo runs and Henninger prevented the Roughriders at 67 minutes in with two saves on a corner kick and on a rebound.
Sequim’s Nathalie Torres had a free shot 77 minutes but Port Angeles’ goalkeeper Bonnie Sires tipped the ball.
Vander Velde said the Wolves struggled to find a rhythm in the first half and didn’t have any shots on goal.
”The second half we made a few more adjustments and that’s when Sequim came alive,” he said. “The girls played awesome. They were connecting their passing, communicating, and protecting each other. Their second half play was exciting to watch; unfortunately we just couldn’t find the back of the net.”
The Wolves travel to Port Angeles’ Civic Field on Oct. 19, which Sequim’s Ryan said she looks forward to playing.
“We know we can do it,” she said.
Looking ahead
The Wolves were scheduled to play at Bremerton on Oct. 3. Sequim hosts Olympic on Oct. 5 and plays at Coupeville Oct. 10 and at North Mason Oct. 12.
Pierre Labossiere, Peninsula Daily News Sports Editor, contributed to this report.
Sequim’s Daisy Ryan, right, looks to get past Kingston’s Kaye Lanfear in the Wolves’ 2-0 win on Sept. 28. Ryan set up both of Sequim’s goals that came in the final five minutes of regulation. Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell
Sequim’s Jillian Hutchison breaks through the Kinston defense in the first half of a Sept. 28 Olympic League game. The Wolves and Bucs remained scoreless until Sequim broke through with two late goals for a 2-0 win. Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell
Sequim midfielder Natalie Torres keeps the ball from Kingston’s Aimee Dormaier in the first half of the Wolves’ 2-0 win on Sept. 28. Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell
