SHORELINE — It appeared as if Lake Stevens girls soccer had run out of time. Trailing 1-0 against Shorecrest in the final two minutes at Shoreline Stadium on Thursday, Lake Stevens was in unfamiliar territory.
In the first half, they had conceded their first goal since last year’s state quarterfinals, a 3-2 win against Skyline on Nov. 16, 2024. In just a couple of minutes, their eight-game undefeated streak dating back to the district semifinals would be snapped.
That was until Amira Yaser spotted an opportunity. A Lake Stevens clearance rolled all the way towards the Shorecrest net, with a defender aiming to retrieve it before it reached the goalkeeper. Yaser sprinted to catch up to the ball, but knew that even if the defender beat her there, the first touch would still head towards the net based on the direction they were running.
“I was like, I can make an opportunity off that,” Yaser said. “So I just put everything I had into getting there.”
Sure enough, the ball hit off the defender’s foot and continued towards the net. The Shorecrest goalie hesitated, perhaps unsure if she was allowed to pick up the ball since her teammate had kicked it towards her, as the defender slowed down. Amid the confusion and miscommunication, Yaser swooped in and tapped the ball to the back of the net.
Just moments after the tying goal, the final whistle blew, and the Vikings (3-0-1) salvaged an unlikely 1-1 tie against the Scots (3-1-1).
Lake Stevens’ Amira Yaser reacts to scoring a goal in the final seconds to tie the game against Shorecrest on Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025 in Shoreline, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Lake Stevens coach Sam Ford described the game as “messy” for his side, but seeing them secure the last-second tie and avoid the loss represented a key word that the Lake Stevens athletic department tries to embody: relentless.
“We tied it up in the last minute, is what it came down to,” Ford said. “If nothing else, our games are always going to be more about will than they are skill. We’ve got all the skill, but the big thing is we’re going to will ourselves to find a way to put one in, so I’m proud of those girls. They didn’t give up til the last second.”
As reigning 4A state champions, the Vikings have built a strong reputation for themselves. But after losing 10 seniors from last year’s team, Ford stressed that the 2025 Vikings are a different group that is still trying to find its identity.
The effort Thursday simply represented a step towards discovering it early in the season.
According to the players, the biggest change has been the altered chemistry that comes with losing nearly half the roster, but they’re putting forth efforts to build it back up with team-bonding activities.
“I think that’s helped us improve so far this season, and I’m sure it’s gonna take us much further as the season goes on,” said Yaser, a senior defender.
That chemistry was tested when Shorecrest struck in the 13th minute, with junior forward Olivia Taylor redirecting a through ball past Lake Stevens starting goalie Tessa Anastasi with a simple toe poke.
Shorecrest’s Olivia Taylor celebrates with her teammates after scoring a goal during the game against Lake Stevens on Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025 in Shoreline, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Vikings senior Keira Isabelle Tupua nearly found the equalizer just a couple of minutes later with a turn-around shot that missed just wide left, hitting the outside netting and briefly convincing the crowd that the ball went in.
For every Lake Stevens push, the Scots would surge back for several minutes at a time, neither side dominating the other as the game reached halftime. At the break, Ford simply reminded his team to focus on the basics, and take better care of the ball.
“I do think they responded,” Ford said. “We got all the players in, and this is the same experience we had with Shorecrest last year (a 1-1 tie on Sept. 19, 2024). They play us hard, they’re a good team. … (Our players) will assure you there’s nothing magical said at halftime. It’s more like, ‘Let’s just get back to the basics.’”
For the early part of the second half, the Vikings rarely let Shorecrest get behind their back line. The Scots finally delivered their first shot on goal of the half nearly 15 minutes in, and the Vikings immediately countered the other way with senior forward Shelby Clifton chipping a shot off the crossbar just 30 seconds later.
“Just trying to switch gears and play simple,” Clifton said. “And overall, trying to find the back of the net.”
Lake Stevens began to control more possession down the stretch as Shorecrest tried to hold them off. After a leaping save by Scots goalie Mickie McNeil with around 15 minutes left, the Vikings eventually got their breakthrough with Yaser with no time to spare.
Shorecrest’s Mickie McNeil jumps in the air to make a save during the game against Lake Stevens on Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025 in Shoreline, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
On paper, it will go down as a draw, but it carried similar emotions as a win for the Vikings.
“I feel like at some points, people are kind of like, ‘Oh, it’s the last minute, we’ve lost,’” Yaser said. “And I thought that having that last-minute goal, that shows like if the clock is still running, there’s still time to win.
“And so, I don’t know, I feel like it brought the team up a little bit.”
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