A matchup of two-loss teams went Kentlake’s way as they defeated Federal Way 1-0 on Friday, Oct. 2.
It was expected to be a tightly-contested match and it lived up to expectations.
Federal Way entered the game with a 4-2-0 record overall and a 4-1-0 record in league games. Kentlake entered with a 5-2-1 record and was 4-2-1 in league play.
The Eagles outshot the Falcons in the game, but Kentlake’s Karley Babcock shut down anything that was on target.
The only score of the game came in the 11th minute for the Falcons.
Kentlake’s Ny’Yana Pickle charged towards the right side of the Federal Way goal, but Federal Way midfielder Larissa Caldera was able to dispossess her before she could take a shot. The ball crossed over the back line, awarding the Falcons with a corner kick.
On the corner, Kentlake’s Amanda Price found her teammate Jordan Engman for the header, despite the crowd around her. The ball was placed perfectly into the back of the net.
From there, it seemed as though the chances for Kentlake were few and far between. It did not matter as the team was more than content to keep the play in midfield and the quality chances down for the Eagles.
A nasty scene occurred when a Kentlake player was given a yellow card after colliding with Federal Way goalkeeper Piper Hutchinson. Trainers checked her out and she was cleared to return to play.
Federal Way earned their best chance of the first half in stoppage time. They were awarded a corner, but repeated attempts were blocked by defenders and the goalkeeper for Kentlake.
The second half saw much of the play take place in midfield and on Kentlake’s side of the field.
The Falcons had an early chance at a corner, but it was caught by Hutchinson. Shortly thereafter, Federal Way’s Sammy Cheever almost beat Kentlake’s Kasey Haren, but missed the net by inches on the left side.
A problem for Federal Way in the second half was winning the ball on throw-ins and free kicks. In doing so, they missed out on possessions in opportune spaces and allowed Kentlake to keep the pressure off.
Junior midfielder Brynn Ward was a bright spot for the Eagles as she controlled midfield and continued to try to create chances. She attempted a couple long-range shots that barely missed the Kentlake goal as well.
Even with a larger quantity of chances, the Eagles were unable to net any goals and Kentlake earned the clean sheet.
The Eagles (4-3-0, 4-2-0) will travel to face Tahoma (7-1-1, 4-1-1) at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 6 as they continue their crossover games with the South Puget Sound League Northeast.
Kentlake (6-2-1, 3-2-1) will have a home game against Todd Beamer (8-1-0, 5-1-0) at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 6.
