Chiefs escape Kennewick with victory

Moses Lake 4 Kennewick 3

KENNEWICK — The Moses Lake Chiefs scored two unanswered goals in the second half to rally from a 3-2 deficit and defeat the Kennewick Lions 4-3 in a nonleague match Saturday.

The Chiefs got on the board quickly when Mick Aney took a pass from Richie Ramirez and knocked it home from 5 yards for the score in the fifth minute. Kennewick charged back with goals in the 12th and 16th minutes to take a 2-1 lead.

Ramirez tied the game at two when he won a loose ball in front of the Kennewick goal and put it into the net in the 32nd minute.

Kennewick once again jumped out in front, this time with a goal in the 37th minute that sent them to the halftime break with a 3-2 lead.

"We gave the ball up too quickly and this allowed them too many scoring opportunities," said Moses Lake coach Bill Bertram. "This year's team has more collective talent than my previous Chiefs teams, but today, the boys didn't play with the discipline I'm used to seeing."

Moses Lake tied the game moments into the second half. Devin Petersen stole a ball from a Kennewick defender and pushed it forward to a charging Seth Bruneel, who fired a ball past the Kennewick goalkeeper to tie the match at three.

Donald McGraw gave Moses Lake the game winner in the 63rd minute, knocking a Bruneel deflection in to give Moses Lake the 4-3 victory.

"We played well enough to win, but a performance like this will not beat Richland," said the Moses Lake coach.

Moses Lake outshot Kennewick 18-10 in the match, with goalkeeper Jeff Erlenmeyer recording five saves for the Chiefs.