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Skyview’s best shot not enough in 1-0 girls soccer playoff loss

Storm create 15 shots on goal, but fail to score

By Paul Danzer, Columbian Soccer, hockey and Community Sports Reporter
Published: November 5, 2011, 5:00pm

The Skyview girls soccer team did a lot of great things this season. And the Storm did its share of good work on Saturday, too.

But the Class 4A Greater St. Helens League champions couldn’t overcome one great play by South Kitsap’s Becca Schoales in a Class 4A bi-district playoff match at Kiggins Bowl.

The result was a season-ending 1-0 loss to the Wolves that left the Storm feeling empty. It was the only loss of the season for Skyview (12-1-3), which despite dominating stretches of possession, could not produce a goal.

“It just depends on the day. Sometimes they go in, sometimes they don’t,” Skyview senior Sheaffer Skadsen said. “Today there was a hex on the goal. It just wasn’t happening for us.”

Skyview took eight corner kicks to just one for the visitors. The Storm took 15 shots and forced South Kitsap goalkeeper Brianna Smallige to make eight saves while Skyview’s Hannah Johnson had to make just one.

But for all of their effort, the Storm didn’t create the high-quality scoring chance needed to beat a team that on Saturday posted its 11th shutout of the season.

“Their defense played well. We had 15 shots, eight corners, won most of the 50-50 balls today,” Skyview coach Darin Degrande said. “Usually that translates well for our team. Today we couldn’t get the goal.”

Skyview had not been scored on in its previous nine games, and had allowed only four goals all season.

But Schoales, a junior forward in the U.S. national team player pool for her age group, made the play that decided the game. She collected the ball in midfield, spun down the left wing and dribbled into the penalty area before sending a low a cross to freshman Adri Jackson for the finish.

“In practice we’ve been working a lot on slotting it across, and (Jackson) just put it right in,” Schoales said. “It looked like she stayed strong in there.”

Skyview played its strongest soccer in the first 15 minutes of each half, and in the final five minute fury as it tried to save its season. But the Storm couldn’t take advantage of its possession advantage.

“If we would have had an early goal, we would have taken off. I know it,,” Skyview senior forward Becca Sikora said.

Skadsen, Skyview’s national-level Olympic Development Program player who plans to play college soccer for Arizona beginning next fall, had two shots early in the second half that the Wolves keeper Smallige handled.

“Our defense is great,” South Kitsap’s Schoales said.” They’re shorter, but they can really get up there and win against taller players. They really held us together, and (Smallage) has really saved us a lot, too.”

On Saturday, they prevented Skyview from extending its season into the 4A state tournament for a second year in a row.

“I’m definitely disappointed because we always expect more out of ourselves,” Skadsen said. “But overall, everybody put their all into this game. Sometimes, it just doesn’t happen the way you expect it to.”

Sikora echoed that sentiment, and wished the season hadn’t come to an unexpected halt.

“Right after the game, it hit me that this is the last time I’ll ever play with these girls,” Sikora said. “A lot of them I played U6 rec soccer with, and a lot of us played together with FC Vancouver. It’s sad to think that it’s all over.”

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Columbian Soccer, hockey and Community Sports Reporter