Olympic League standings

(as of Oct. 8)

Team Lg. Over.

Olympic 7-1-0 10-2-0

North Kitsap 6-1-0 7-3-1

Port Angeles 6-2-0 8-3-0

Bremerton 3-5-0 5-5-1

North Mason 2-5-0 3-7-0

Sequim 2-6-0 3-7-1

Kingston 1-7-0 2-9-0

These Wolves are gaining momentum, and it may be just in time.

Sequim’s girls soccer squad notched a pair of wins last week — including one over rival Port Angeles — as they seek a postseason berth.

The wins give the Wolves (2-6-0 in Olympic League play, 3-7-1) a fighting chance at the league’s fourth and final district playoff seed as the season winds down. With two shootout losses, Sequim has eight points and was tied with Bremerton heading into this week’s play.

On Oct. 2, riding a stingy defense that only allowed Port Angeles’ Roughriders a couple of serious shots on goal in the second half, Sequim shocked Port Angeles, 2-0.

“These guys are our rivals … and we’ve have a really bad losing streak,” Sequim’s Jessica Dietzman. said. “To get ahead 2-0 is the best thing in the world.”

Port Angeles came into the game off a big win against a powerful Olympic squad, but couldn’t find the net against the Wolves.

When asked what made the difference in the match, Sequim head coach Derek Vander Velde pointed to his head.

“Positive outlook, that’s what. It’s a mental state; they don’t stop and they haven’t stopped all year,” he said.

“Staying 100 percent positive: that’s what coach tries to nail into our brains,” Dietzman said.

The Riders controlled the action early with the ball in Sequim’s end of the field in the first half. PA’s Millie Long beat several Wolves’ defenders to set up a shot on goal by Delaney Wenzl and Long later made a cross that was chested right into goaltender Olivia Hare’s hands by Bailee Larson. Later, a shot by Long was blocked in front by Wolves’ defenders; she got her own rebound and shot the ball wide. The half ended 0-0.

The early part of the second half was much the same with the Riders controlling the action, but slowly, the Wolves started getting more aggressive on offense. In the 63rd minute, Sequim’s Yana Hoesel banked a penalty kick off the right post to give the Wolves a 1-0 lead.

Port Angeles had three close free kicks late, but all three missed the mark. Meanwhile, the Wolves got an insurance goal late in the match when Daisy Ryan found Hannah Wagner wide open on a crossing pass in front of the Riders’ net. Wagner booted the ball in for a 2-0 lead. Ryan nearly made the score 3-0 moments later when a shot of hers hit the crossbar.

Sequim midfielder Abby Shroeder was injured late in the first half when she banged heads with the Riders’ Kyrsten McGuffey going after a cross in front of the Wolves’ goal. Schroeder looked to be OK despite the collision, Vander Velde said.

Sequim added a 3-0 win against Bremerton on Oct. 4.

Hannah Wagner had a goal assisted by Hope Glasser, while Glasser scored a goal with an assist to Wagner. Natalia James also had a goal.

Hare had the shutout in goal.

“The girls are staying really positive and taking it one game at a time,” Vander Velde said.

See more photos from the game here.

Looking ahead

The Wolves were scheduled to take on Olympic on Oct. 9 in Silverdale.

Sequim hosts North Kitsap on Oct. 11 and the 1A Port Townsend Redhawks on Oct. 16. The Wolves are at North Mason on Oct. 18 before finishing the regular season on Oct. 23 at home against Kingston.

As Sequim defender Mary McAleer looks on, SHS goalkeeper Olivia Hare makes a save on a shot by Bremerton’s Ammaya Robinette in the first half of Sequim’s 3-0 win against the Knights on Oct. 4. Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell

Sequim defender Gabby Happe keeps the ball away from a Bremerton striker in the first half of Sequim’s 3-0 win on Oct. 4. Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell

Sequim defender Yana Hoesel (3) clears the ball from deep in Wolves territory and negates a Bremerton scoring chance late in the first half of Sequim’s 3-0 win over the Knights. SHS’s Mary McAleer (5) looks on. Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell

Sequim’s Autumn Hilliard, left, keeps the ball from Bremerton’s Jessica Linkemyer (11) and Sophia Capedon (3) midway through the first half of the Wolves’ 3-0 win on Oct. 4. Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell