Moses Lake unable to match West Valley in loss
Connor Vanderweyst/Columbia Basin Herald Moses Lake midfielder Claire Hopkins (20) and West Valley defender Halley Marschall chase after the ball Tuesday at Lions Field.
Connor Vanderweyst/Columbia Basin Herald Moses Lake midfielder Morgan Skone (left) tries to free herself from a West Valley defender.
MOSES LAKE — Soccer aficionados call the sport “the beautiful game.”
It can be a cruel game, too.
West Valley reasserted itself as the team to beat in the Columbia Basin Big Nine, pulling away from Moses Lake 3-0.
However, play on the field was much more even than the final score indicated.
“That’s how soccer goes sometimes,” head coach Ric Char said. “We dominated the entire second half and the possession and then two counter attacks and they get two goals on us so that’s soccer and it’s unfortunate, but I think we played better than what the score is.”
West Valley was state runner-up in 2016 and 2015 so Tuesday night shaped up to be a good litmus test for a Moses Lake team that is pining for a return to the state tournament.
In the first half, possession was balanced between both teams; neither team had shots on goal that were overly threatening. Moses Lake runs up the field were sniffed out by the West Valley defense and cleared, likewise on the opposite end.
The first-half difference came on a breakdown that allowed Kendall Sharp an open look at the goal from about 10 yards away. The junior midfielder received a pass back and lofted a shot into the top right-hand corner of the net.
Sharp’s shot punctuated the theme of the evening: West Valley converted its chances, whereas Moses Lake’s landed a foot too wide or too high of their mark.
The Chiefs began their push for an equalizer about mid-way through the second half.
Emily Mendoza crossed over a defender and fired a shot that sailed directly between the crossbar and the football goalposts. The frustration mounted as Denali Knowles saw a shot skip wide left and Morgan Skone had two balls hit the crossbar and the right post.
“Sometimes it’s going to be missing by inches just like football,” Char said. “It’s unfortunate, but we’re really pleased with the girls’ performance and they were anxious to play this game and I think they played their hearts out. I’m very pleased with their effort. Obviously not pleased with the result, but that’s soccer.”
First half — 1, WV, Sharp, 24:00.
Second half — 2, WV, Kendra Hanses, 64:00. 3, WV, 74:00.