KRIS
HOLLAND/Yakima
Herald-Republic
Yakima
Valley's
Leticia
Reiber
(9)
celebrates
with
teammate
Amanda
Ruiz
after
scoring
the
Yaks'
first
goal
Wednesday
afternoon
against
Everett
at
Chesterley
Park.
|
|
An already historic
season became even more
momentous for Yakima
Valley's women's soccer
team Wednesday.
The Yaks, in their
first year of
competition, won their
first NWAACC playoff
match, 2-1 over Everett
at Chesterley Park. The
victory advanced them
into the playoff
quarterfinals and a 1
p.m. Saturday match
against Southwestern
Oregon at Coos Bay, Ore.
"This is very
exciting," coach Luiz
Machado said. "I think
the team, this game,
showed the enthusiasm we
kind of lacked in our
last game (a 2-0 loss at
Olympic).
"Like I was telling
the girls, this is a
unique opportunity. We
have to go as far as we
can in the playoffs."
YVCC, 7-8-4, advanced
after falling behind
1-0 on Afon Hartsock's
goal in the 20th minute.
KRIS
HOLLAND/Yakima
Herald-Republic
Yakima
Valley's
Erika
Eichler,
right,
and
Everett's
Maddie
Chrisman
go after
a loose
ball
during
Wednesday's
NWAACC
first-round
playoff
game at
Chesterley
Park.
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|
The Yaks tied it 1-1 on
Leticia Reiber's
unassisted goal in the
37th minute, then took
the lead for good when
Erica Eichler scored
with an assist from
Marci Ford in the 65th
minute.
Yakima Valley
goalkeeper Elida Licea
stopped two shots.
Everett goalie Kasey
Willmaser was credited
with four saves.
"The players were
very excited before the
match, and I knew we
were going to play
well," Machado said. "We
wanted to win so bad, we
pressured their team the
whole first half and the
whole second half. We
played with a great
desire to win."
Composure, as well.
"The whole time we
were pressuring the
ball, even after we got
behind, the players kept
their composure,"
Machado said. "We knew
we could tie the score
and then turn the whole
thing around. That shows
a lot of maturity."
YVCC's next
assignment is a tough
one.
Southwestern Oregon
is 15-1-4 and ranked No.
3 in the NWAACC, behind
No. 1 Walla Walla and
No. 2 Spokane.
"We're getting
better," Machado said,
"but now we face a
really, really tough
team."
Win or lose, however,
the Yaks have already
made history.
First half: 1,
Everett, Afon Hartsock
(Danielle Morrison),
20:00; 2, Yakima Valley,
Leticia Reiber, 37:00.
Second half: Yakima
Valley, Erica Eichler
(Marci Ford), 65:00.
Saves: Kasey
Willmaser (E) 4, Elida
Licea (YV) 2.
