Panthers prevail
Published 11:24 pm Tuesday, September 6, 2011
MUKILTEO — Snohomish High School’s official first day of classes is Thursday, but seniors Annie Hund and Sissy Bates-Mundell of the Panthers’ girls soccer team will be on campus today for Link Crew — an activity that connects seniors to freshman and introduces the young ones to their new school.
Tuesday night, the senior duo linked up for an impressive goal — the only one in a 1-0 Snohomish win over the Knights in front of a loud standing-room-only crowd at Kamiak High School. On the soccer season’s opening night, Bates-Mundell and Hund introduced the rest of Wesco to what to expect from the league-favorite Panthers this season: a stifling defense and an opportunistic offense.
“I think it was more than we were hoping for,” Snohomish coach April VanAssche said. “You always have expectations on what you are seeing in practice the first two weeks but until you get against another team you don’t know how they are going to stack up.”
In the 70th minute, Hund streaked down the right side of the field and was pushed to the corner by a Kamiak defender, who nearly sent the ball out of bounds. But Hund maintained possession and sent a beautiful bending cross toward the near post as she fell down and out of bounds.
Bates-Mundell was there for the smooth finish and Kamiak keeper Emma Makela could only watch the ball head toward the far post and into the net.
“When I went in (toward the goal) I kind of had a feeling and I was ready to go. So, when I got a ball like that I knew I could put it in,” Bates-Mundell said.
VanAssche loved the effort she saw from Hund, not only on that play but all 80 minutes.
“I wish I would have kept track to how many of those she had this game,” Van Assche said. “She probably had at least five or six where we thought it was going out of bounds and she went and chased everyone single one down and got a cross off of them.
“She’s my senior captain. How she played tonight set a very good standard for the rest of the season for all of our team.”
The Knights were the aggressors in the early going, pushing against a Panther defense that was on its heels, but there were few quality scoring chances to be had. Players from both teams looked like they were getting their playing legs under them in the first half, but Gonzaga-bound forward Lauren Luke and the Knights had all the early shots.
“We definitely started out shaky for the first 15 minutes and then they calmed down,” Van Assche said. “They sorted themselves out which was great to see.”
Kamiak coach Beth Stewart, whose Knights feature 12 players new to varsity, saw plenty of area for growth but was pleased especially with her team’s initial effort.
“We just pounded and pounded and you get one little lucky break in the beginning and things might have gone differently,” Stewart said.
After Luke took a few shots early, the Panthers started covering her with a defender at all times, which mostly stalled the Knight attack in the second half.
“I think we are going to do good this year,” Luke said. “We just need to play more together and get more experience.”
Goalkeepers Senior Melissa Dreves and freshman Taylor Knapinski combined to record the shutout for the Panthers.
