West Linn girls soccer drops top-five battle to Central Catholic 4-2

Let’s be honest – scoring in soccer is not an exact science.

The West Linn girls soccer team found that out the hard way on Tuesday, Oct. 1, when they dropped a 4-2 decision to talented Central Catholic at Eastside Sports Complex in southeast Portland.

The quotes, the standings

“I think we played really well - just passing it and the defense and switching it,” said West Linn junior forward Kylee Schreck, who scored both her team’s goals and had two other shots ricochet off the Central Catholic goal. “We just need to shoot more and get it on frame.”

“They had high energy the entire game and they were really communicating with each other and they were really good at pressing and switching and having those long balls,” said Lion junior defender Kali Daniels. “But I thought we were definitely making the tackles we needed to make, and also connecting with the midfield and forwards.”

“I think we had the intensity, it's just that our shots weren't there,” added WL senior midfielder Cassidy Harding. “We hit the crossbar (a bunch of) times. It was just kind of an unlucky night, but overall, I think we were the better team.”

With the loss, the Lions (third in the Class 6A coaches poll and fifth in the OSAA rankings) saw their two-game winning streak snapped, lost for the first time, saw their seven-match unbeaten streak end and fell to 5-1-2 overall. Next up, West Linn will open Three Rivers League play with a game against St. Mary’s at Buckman Field at 4:45 p.m. Monday, Oct. 7.

Central Catholic (fourth in both the coaches poll and OSAA rankings), meanwhile, won for the sixth straight time and improved to 7-1-0 overall. Next up, the Rams play Barlow at Barlow High School at 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 7.

The play

The Lions started quickly on Tuesday, with Schreck following up a shot by sophomore Ellie Highland and missing an attempt at an open goal just two minutes into the contest.

But as was the case all night, it was the Rams who made the better use of their opportunities, with senior captain Suzanna Fee launching a long, looping shot into the top of the West Linn goal for a 1-0 lead with 35:29 remaining in the opening half.

While the Lions didn’t get on the scoreboard until late in the half, they racked up four shots on goal and collected five corner kicks in the final 27 minutes of the period.

West Linn sophomore goalkeeper Savannah Ferrell – filling in for senior starter Nyamma Nelson – snuffed a one-on-one chance with 11 minutes left to keep the Lions’ deficit at one goal, and Schreck tied it 1-1 on a 37-yard bomb to the top left corner of the Rams’ goal three minutes later.

Undaunted, Central Catholic answered less than two minutes later, with Fee scoring on a 26-yard free kick for a 2-1 lead at the half.

The Rams boosted that edge to 3-1 just seven minutes into the second half when junior Michaela Kriesien attacked from the left side, rebounded her deflected shot and scored to boost her team’s lead to 3-1.

The Lions kept pushing, getting strong offensive attempts from junior Caitlyn Schreck, freshman Brystol Leslie and Harding in the next 10 minutes.

But again, it was Central Catholic that finished next, with junior Hazel Norling sending a long through ball to senior Katie Berry for the finish with 15:36 left to play.

West Linn came back with its second score less than a minute later, with Kylee Schreck making a run up the left seam, cutting across the top of the Rams’ penalty box and scoring to make it 4-2.

While the Lions didn’t score again, it wasn’t for lack of effort, with Kylee Schreck left-footing an 18-yard shot off the Central Catholic crossbar with 10 minutes remaining, then hitting a 16-yard free kick off the crossbar in the final minute.

“I think we did really well,” Kylee Schreck said. “We just need to practice so if it does hit the crossbar or deflects off anything, we need to run in and take a shot.”

“I think (what we need is) communication and following the ball and keeping our energy high the whole game rather than starting it later,” Daniels said.

“It was kind of a wake-up call once they scored that first goal and I think that's when it clicked,” Harding said. “That's when we kind of became more successful with our passing and our shooting.’