Sweep ties Cards with Colville for second with game to play
All things considered, a 2-1 week in Northeast A League soccer play said a lot for the Medical Lake Cardinals.
After a 2-1 loss to Newport to open the week on April 17 Medical Lake (7-3 NEA, 7-6 overall) had two powerful offensive contests, winning 7-0 over Northwest Christian April 19 and 7-1 against Riverside April 23. Sandwiched in between was a 3-1 nonleague loss to 2A Clarkston on April 21.
With a student body still reeling from the death of Journey Tueller in an April 14 automobile accident, minds were maybe not on sports. At least that’s how head coach Zane Higgins saw it.
Newport took a 2-0 first half lead before Nick Rosenbeck got his team close with a score in the 56th minute.
“Tuesday against Newport (5-6, 6-6) we were not focused very well, understandably based on the circumstances, and came out extremely flat,” Higgins wrote in an email. Medical Lake hit the post several times and could have pulled the game out, Higgins said.
“Ultimately we were outplayed,” he added.
The Cardinals certainly turned things around with the trouncing of provisional league member, the NWC Crusaders (1-7). “We were able to possess the ball and make some nice plays,” Higgins said. Rosenbeck and Carter Pivonka each had a goal and an assist while Taye Jones earned the shutout.
Despite losing to Clarkston (8-3), Higgins said he was impressed with the way his team competed. “We played one of our stronger games despite losing,” he added.
“Our goal was nicely set up with a through ball from Brayden Petersen to Carter (Pivonka)” Higgins explained. Pivonka took the ball deep, cut inside, and played a nifty ball to Rosenbeck in the middle “who hit a nice one touch shot,” in the 79th minute.
On Monday at home against Riverside (2-9, 2-10) it was Pivonka’s turn as he scored four goals and Rosenbeck two.
Medical Lake closes out the regular season Thursday, April 26, 4 p.m. at Colville (7-3, 8-5) in a game that will break the tie for second place.
Paul Delaney can be reached at pdelaney@cheneyfreepress.com.
Reader Comments(0)