This article originally ran at www.theclackamasprint.com. Too see the original, click here.
David Beasley, Sports Editor
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
Volume 47, Issue 5
Sports
Last Saturday the Cougars avenged a loss and earned a trip back to the site of that loss for the NWAACC Women’s Soccer Championship Semifinals.
Aug. 27 at Starfire Stadium in Tukwila, Wash., was the Cougars’ first game of the season. There they were defeated by Spokane 1-2.
“We played them in the beginning, but we are a whole new team and have stepped up to another level,” said Clackamas midfielder Tori Roberts. “We knew number three was gonna’ be tough, but we’re not a one-man team, we play together.”
On home turf this time, the Cougars defeated their Sasquatch rivals 2-0 at OC’s Pioneer Stadium in a wild and spectacular match.
“The first 12 seconds really set the pace,” said Roberts.
Indeed it did, as just 12 seconds into the first stanza midfielder Hope Butler scored a statement-making goal that
sent the crowd crazy with cheers for the Cougars.
“It was Tori that took a shot and I capitalized on it,” said Butler.
Spokane’s frustration showed early, their reaction after the first goal foreshadowed the atmosphere of the rest of the game. The Cougars continued to employ excellent teamwork and solid defense when needed, but they consistently attacked.
Melanie Trumbull put on another goalkeeping clinic with strong defends and brave sacrifice saves throughout the game. With four saves, this was Trumbull’s ninth shutout of the season. She has 58 saves total.
Spokane managed to make Clackamas a little impatient halfway through the first stanza. The hard teamwork by the Cougars momentarily became overzealous as they booted the ball forward instead of passing and setting up plays. But Spokane became too aggressive and with three back-to-back fouls, sent the action back towards their own goal.
Cougars defender Carly Turner and midfielder Tahni Harr each launched well-placed slide tackles in the first half, continuing Clackamas’ tenacious defense. On the offensive again at 34 minutes on the scoreboard, Roberts found herself in front of Spokane’s goal. Facing away from the goal with defenders closing in, she caught a nice pass and turned 180 degrees to shoot it through the defense, right at the goal. The spectacular shot was defended, but kept up the Cougars’ competitive pace and wowed the crowd.
Defender Marci Haynes continued the attack with a good header goal attempt off a volley from a corner kick by Butler. At 40 minutes, head referee James Shields had to issue his first warning to the already heated Spokane assistant coach Jeff Srock.
The game started getting rougher and more physical. A foul was called on Clackamas and as Spokane attacked, Haynes launched the ball back up field with a stiff boot. Spokane took a couple shots in the first, but the score remained 1-0 at halftime.
The Cougars continued the second half with more constructive teamwork, good use of headers and defense against headers. The Cougars won the headers in the air and prevented Spokane from getting useful headers.
A melee broke out in front of the Cougars’ goal. Trumbull had to fight hard for the save and defended well, putting herself in the line of fire.
With 63 minutes showing on the scoreboard, a foul was called on Spokane’s Brittany Bruegeman and Clackamas was awarded a free kick. The foul brought Spokane their first yellow card of the match.
Spokane attacked aggressively again with a battle in front of the Cougars goal, but the determination of Clackamas fended off the attempt. Spokane’s team and their fans in the stands were becoming increasingly upset with the referees.
The rage turned belligerent at 69 minutes as Srock began verbally attacking Shields and questioning his refereeing. The Spokane assistant coach would not back down and Shields issued him a yellow card. Srock relentlessly continued, so Shields issued him a red card, ejecting him from the game and the field.
“We knew it was going to be a hard game,” said Roberts. “The other team didn’t think it was playing fairly but we kept our composure and I think that’s why we won.”
Spokane was visibly frustrated, but still competitive as the game continued with the Cougars in the lead. On the defensive, Clackamas forward Claudia Florez shot in with a clean, well-timed slide tackle. Shortly after she found another tackle, but fouled. Spokane made their way towards the Cougars’ penalty box and sent a shot towards goal that was deftly deflected by the head of defender Stephanie Corea. Shortly after, Trumball saved a Spokane corner kick.
The second half continued on with Clackamas still winning headers and consistently defending. Spokane was still vocally upset with the referee. The score in the second was almost a stalemate. Then a free kick awarded to Cougar defender Carly Turner set up a long header by Butler that sailed perfectly into Spokane’s goal. The stands exploded with cheering voices.
“We’ve actually been practicing that a lot, [free kicks] working on diagonal balls,” said Butler. “As far as this game goes, we applied everything we learned in practice. This was by far our best team game.”
With 90 minutes on the scoreboard, the official game time kept on-field was counting down. Another fierce battle in front of the Cougars’ goal ensued and Clackamas defended again. The game ended with Clackamas emerging as the victor.
“I feel great,” said Roberts. “Now we’re in the final four.”
The Cougars play Edmonds at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Starfire Stadium in Tukwila, Wash., for the right to play in the final match of the NWAACC championship the next day at 3 p.m. Roberts predicts Walla Walla to be the team they will face.
“We were a lot more positive as a team,” Butler said. “As long as we play like we did today, we’ll do well.”
Aug. 27 at Starfire Stadium in Tukwila, Wash., was the Cougars’ first game of the season. There they were defeated by Spokane 1-2.
“We played them in the beginning, but we are a whole new team and have stepped up to another level,” said Clackamas midfielder Tori Roberts. “We knew number three was gonna’ be tough, but we’re not a one-man team, we play together.”
On home turf this time, the Cougars defeated their Sasquatch rivals 2-0 at OC’s Pioneer Stadium in a wild and spectacular match.
“The first 12 seconds really set the pace,” said Roberts.
Indeed it did, as just 12 seconds into the first stanza midfielder Hope Butler scored a statement-making goal that
sent the crowd crazy with cheers for the Cougars.
“It was Tori that took a shot and I capitalized on it,” said Butler.
Spokane’s frustration showed early, their reaction after the first goal foreshadowed the atmosphere of the rest of the game. The Cougars continued to employ excellent teamwork and solid defense when needed, but they consistently attacked.
Melanie Trumbull put on another goalkeeping clinic with strong defends and brave sacrifice saves throughout the game. With four saves, this was Trumbull’s ninth shutout of the season. She has 58 saves total.
Spokane managed to make Clackamas a little impatient halfway through the first stanza. The hard teamwork by the Cougars momentarily became overzealous as they booted the ball forward instead of passing and setting up plays. But Spokane became too aggressive and with three back-to-back fouls, sent the action back towards their own goal.
Cougars defender Carly Turner and midfielder Tahni Harr each launched well-placed slide tackles in the first half, continuing Clackamas’ tenacious defense. On the offensive again at 34 minutes on the scoreboard, Roberts found herself in front of Spokane’s goal. Facing away from the goal with defenders closing in, she caught a nice pass and turned 180 degrees to shoot it through the defense, right at the goal. The spectacular shot was defended, but kept up the Cougars’ competitive pace and wowed the crowd.
Defender Marci Haynes continued the attack with a good header goal attempt off a volley from a corner kick by Butler. At 40 minutes, head referee James Shields had to issue his first warning to the already heated Spokane assistant coach Jeff Srock.
The game started getting rougher and more physical. A foul was called on Clackamas and as Spokane attacked, Haynes launched the ball back up field with a stiff boot. Spokane took a couple shots in the first, but the score remained 1-0 at halftime.
The Cougars continued the second half with more constructive teamwork, good use of headers and defense against headers. The Cougars won the headers in the air and prevented Spokane from getting useful headers.
A melee broke out in front of the Cougars’ goal. Trumbull had to fight hard for the save and defended well, putting herself in the line of fire.
With 63 minutes showing on the scoreboard, a foul was called on Spokane’s Brittany Bruegeman and Clackamas was awarded a free kick. The foul brought Spokane their first yellow card of the match.
Spokane attacked aggressively again with a battle in front of the Cougars goal, but the determination of Clackamas fended off the attempt. Spokane’s team and their fans in the stands were becoming increasingly upset with the referees.
The rage turned belligerent at 69 minutes as Srock began verbally attacking Shields and questioning his refereeing. The Spokane assistant coach would not back down and Shields issued him a yellow card. Srock relentlessly continued, so Shields issued him a red card, ejecting him from the game and the field.
“We knew it was going to be a hard game,” said Roberts. “The other team didn’t think it was playing fairly but we kept our composure and I think that’s why we won.”
Spokane was visibly frustrated, but still competitive as the game continued with the Cougars in the lead. On the defensive, Clackamas forward Claudia Florez shot in with a clean, well-timed slide tackle. Shortly after she found another tackle, but fouled. Spokane made their way towards the Cougars’ penalty box and sent a shot towards goal that was deftly deflected by the head of defender Stephanie Corea. Shortly after, Trumball saved a Spokane corner kick.
The second half continued on with Clackamas still winning headers and consistently defending. Spokane was still vocally upset with the referee. The score in the second was almost a stalemate. Then a free kick awarded to Cougar defender Carly Turner set up a long header by Butler that sailed perfectly into Spokane’s goal. The stands exploded with cheering voices.
“We’ve actually been practicing that a lot, [free kicks] working on diagonal balls,” said Butler. “As far as this game goes, we applied everything we learned in practice. This was by far our best team game.”
With 90 minutes on the scoreboard, the official game time kept on-field was counting down. Another fierce battle in front of the Cougars’ goal ensued and Clackamas defended again. The game ended with Clackamas emerging as the victor.
“I feel great,” said Roberts. “Now we’re in the final four.”
The Cougars play Edmonds at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Starfire Stadium in Tukwila, Wash., for the right to play in the final match of the NWAACC championship the next day at 3 p.m. Roberts predicts Walla Walla to be the team they will face.
“We were a lot more positive as a team,” Butler said. “As long as we play like we did today, we’ll do well.”
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