2B soccer: Wildcats outscore Lady Fishermen in senior night shootout

Published 10:36 am Monday, October 24, 2022

Ilwaco senior Sarah Frank (12) handles a throw-in against Ocosta.

ILWACO — The Lady Fishermen soccer team laid it on the line on senior night, but a second-half comeback came up short in a 6-2 loss to the Ocosta Wildcats last week.

Ilwaco (2-12) fell to sixth place in the 2B Pacific League standings with the loss, while Ocosta (7-7-1) improved to third place, all trailing first-place Napavine (12-1).

Ocosta wasted little time in the first half, with senior forward Mikayla Ness opening the scoring with a goal about two minutes into the match. Ness added two more goals at the 29- and 8-minute mark, boosting the Wildcat lead to 4-0 while earning a first-half hat trick. As the first half progressed, Ilwaco, despite trailing 4-0, maintained long periods of possession and was out-shooting Ocosta, but they were unable to solve freshmen goalkeeper Mia Saunders.

With less than two minutes left in the half, Ilwaco junior Kaitlyn Banuet broke the shutout with a brilliant goal, cutting the lead to 4-1 at the intermission.

At halftime, 10 senior players were recognized including Sofia Bautista (2), Ione Sheldon (4), Zoey Zuern (5), Samantha Grote (6), Chloe Stringer (8), Paige Frank (10), Sarah Frank (12), Zoey Huntley-Stern (13), Estrella Medina-Merino (15), and Annabelle Thielen (17).

In the second half, Ilwaco senior midfielder Paige Frank continued the Lady Fishermen attack with a deep goal, cutting the Ocosta lead to 4-2 at the 33-minute mark. But Ocosta answered with back-to-back goals, slamming the door shut on any hopes of an Ilwaco comeback, ending in a 6-2 final for the Wildcats.

Results haven’t dampened spirits. Freshman Juliet Perez, who can play in the field or as a goalkeeper, summed up the mood at a recent practice. “At the end of the day, we are still a team.”

Up next: Ilwaco (2-12) will play their final game of the season at home against South Bend (5-8) at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 26 in Ilwaco.

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