Everett’s quick strike ends thriller with Lake Stevens

Published 10:45 am Wednesday, October 7, 2009

EVERETT — It took extra work, but the top-ranked Everett Seagulls’ perfect record is still intact.

Annie Sittauer scored late in regulation to force overtime and captain Kylie Beeson ended it quickly in the extra session, kicking in a picturesque 30-yard shot. It lifted the Everett High School girls soccer team to a 3-2 win over the Lake Stevens Vikings on Thursday in a Western Conference North Division showdown at Lincoln Field.

“We just keep plugging away. There’s no quit in this team,” Everett coach Kosta Pitharoulis said.

The University of Washington-bound Sittauer (one goal, one assist) scored her team-leading ninth goal of the season with less than 4 minutes to go in the second half. Then Beeson notched her fourth goal of 2009 just 30 seconds into the 5-minute overtime with a shot that soared over the head of Lake Stevens goalkeeper Sierra Hobday.

“That was a heck of a strike,” Pitharoulis said of the goal set up by Bailey McMullen’s assist.

Everett (8-0), which didn’t lead until Beeson’s clincher, remained unbeaten. The defending Class 3A state-champion Seagulls are ranked No. 1 in the CoachesAid.com 3A rankings and No. 8 in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America regional rankings.

Once overtime began, Everett attacked hard. Sittauer made a run to the top of the goalie box and, after a touch by McMullen, the ball trickled directly to Beeson. She had space and capitalized.

“That’s how we play overtime,” Pitharoulis said. “Honestly, we got together (before OT) and I said, ‘Let’s do it in 30 seconds.’ That was the game plan.”

Everett has a history of winning fast in overtime, Pitharoulis said. Against Lake Stevens, the Seagulls’ motivation was to stay undefeated and satisfy their hunger, literally.

“We just come right after them. I think we find a little extra (energy),” said Pitharoulis. “A bunch of the girls are hungry too so they kind of wanted to go home.”

Playing aggressive and confident, 4A Lake Stevens (5-2-1) nearly pulled off another win against Everett. Kinslee Isaman and first-time varsity player Hailey Foley scored for the Vikings, who had leads of 1-0 and 2-1.

Last year Everett and Lake Stevens split their season series 1-1. They shared the Wesco North league title after Lake Stevens beat the Seagulls 1-0 in Everett in the teams’ final division game. Everett hasn’t lost since and has a 15-game winning streak.

“Now we kind of have an expectation that we’re always going to put our best foot forward,” Beeson said. “We just have a drive.”

“They’re outstanding,” Lake Stevens coach Andy Knutson said of Everett. “It’s great practice for us to try to see where we’re at. It’s a big test for us.”

Isaman (Annie Thomas assist) put Lake Stevens on top 1-0 in the ninth minute of the first half. Sele Vance (Sittauer assist) tied it about 10 minutes later.

After Everett generated many more scoring chances in the first half, both teams had about the same number of dangerous attacks in the second half. Lake Stevens took a 2-1 lead with 6:40 to go when Foley (Kaleen Berg assist) beat Everett goalkeeper Katie Johnson with a close-range shot near the left post.

It was Foley’s first varsity game. She filled in for a sick teammate.

In the end, Sittauer (Makaela Nellams assist) and Beeson produced goals in a span of a few minutes to propel Everett to another win. But Lake Stevens’ coach was still thrilled with how his squad played.

“I told them after the game, ‘I would love to coach you guys regardless — win or lose — because I’m proud of the way you acted,’” Knutson said. “That was really fun for me to watch it and be a part of.”

Mike Cane: mcane@heraldnet.com. Check out the prep sports blog Double Team at cmg-northwest2.go-vip.net/heraldnet/doubleteam.