TUKWILA, Wash. (AP) – The Kitsap Pumas crossed Puget Sound and came away with a huge 2-1 win over the Seattle Wolves Saturday night at the Starfire Complex. The victory not only keeps Kitsap undefeated (4-0-1, 13 points), it keeps them in a virtual deadlock for first place in the PDL’s Northwestern Division with the Portland Timbers U23.
Kitsap though, has a match in hand over their southern rivals.
With a wild, raucous contingent of Pumas fans drowning out the announced crowd of 500 throughout the entirety of the match, midfielder Mark Conrad gave them something to stand and cheer for as he headed in the first score of the game in the 33rd minute off a perfect cross from fellow outside mid Kyle Johnson.
“I've been waiting for one,” Conrad said. “I've had some opening opportunities (in past games) that I should have done better with. I like coming (into the) forward (spot) especially when Kyle has the ball because I know he's going to whip it in there, so I like to come into a third forward position and sometimes catch people off guard,”
The Wolves though nearly caught Kitsap off guard just before the half when a Seattle player hooked a ball past goalkeeper Dustyn Brim who had come out to the edge of the box to defend. But defender Max Lipset was in the right spot to head the ball away thus allowing Brim to recover in time to make a save on the Wolves’ Ely Allen as he tried to knock in the rebound.
The Pumas’ second tally came in the second half, after a handball was called on a Wolves player in the penalty box. In the ensuing spate of protests from Seattle players, a yellow card was awarded to defender Daniel Scott. The Pumas’ Tony Kerr connected on a penalty kick in the 50th minute to give the Pumas a two-goal advantage. Kerr was forced to take the penalty twice as the referee assessed some sort of infraction on the first kick.
Seattle, mounted a solid attack in spots throughout the remainder of the match, capitalizing in the 74th minute when midfielder John Fishbaugher made a spectacular header on a ball that was going out of bounds that found the Wolves’ Fernando Monge. Monge headed it in past Brim to close the scoring gap to 2-1.
Kitsap apparently had its third goal after Matt Friesen was taken down outside the box by Seattle’s Alex Rose in the 84th minute. Rose was booked for a yellow card. Pumas captain Stephen Mohn bent the ensuing free kick into the net, but the goal was waived off – and with no explanation from the center referee.
It was the second apparent Pumas goal in the match to be pulled back by the referee, the first coming off a great finish by Kyle Johnson.
The Wolves got no closer thanks to a stellar Puma defense led by Mark Lee, Taylor Hyde, Mohn and the ever-present Lipset. Kitsap held Casey Cunningham, who is currently ranked second in the PDL’s points leaders category, scoreless.
“We knew that Seattle was a good team with very good players,” said assistant coach James Ritchie. “(But) the boys from the back to the front were fantastic (defensively). It was a total team effort.”
“We just have to keep battling and play our game and everything will come to fruition,” Conrad said.
“We have the best fans in the league,” said Pumas head coach John Wedge. “For them to have made this trek, come out in force and then turned this nearly in to a home match for us is almost unheard of. What an impressive display – my hat is off to them.”
Up next for the Pumas is a road game against Cascade this Wednesday, June 3 before its next home matchup against the Timbers U23 Saturday, June 6. Three days later, the club will play it’s first-eve U.S. Open Cup (first round) match against the USL Division I-version Timbers at Bremerton Memorial HS Stadium Tuesday, June 9.
Tickets for all Pumas home matches are on sale on the club website (www.kitsapsoccerclub.com) by visiting www.brownpapertickets.com or by calling club headquarters during regular business hours at 360-377-6008.
