A few short days ago, the Elma Eagles were celebrating a landmark victory via a penalty-kick shootout.
On Wednesday, their season came to an end in one.
Elma lost a late lead and eventually fell in a penalty-kick shootout in a 2-1 loss to Overlake in the first round of the 1A State Tournament at Sammamish High School.
Elma (16-4 overall) kept the game scoreless through the first half despite pressure from the Owls (12-3-4).
“They played with heart and guts, but I think they felt the pressure (of playing in a state tournament) a little bit,” Elma head coach Evan Valentine said. “I told them (at halftime), “You are helping make them look good. You are giving them too much respect.’”
The game remained scoreless through much of the second half, until the Eagles began to apply some pressure of their own over the final quarter of the game.
With time winding down, the Eagles were awarded a free kick from the right hash approximately 32-yards out. Sophomore forward Beta Valentine stepped up and shot a rocket into the top far corner of the net for a 1-0 lead with five minutes left in the game.
But the advantage was short-lived as approximately two minutes later the Owls were awarded a free kick on a hand ball just outside the Elma 18-yard box.
The subsequent kick was skittered along the ground toward the far post, where an Owls player connected on a one-timer to tie the game at 1-1.
The game went to a penalty-kick shootout, Elma’s second shootout in as many games after winning the district-championship via shootout over Montesano on Saturday.
But this time, fortune was not in favor of the Eagles.
Miley Seaberg’s shot was saved, Valentine hit the post, Valerie Echeverria’s shot sailed high and Aaleigha Weld’s shot was also saved as Elma was blanked 2-0 on penalty kicks.
“After the game, I told them it’s going to sting,” Coach Valentine said of the gut-wrenching, season-ending loss. “But I know it’s going to make them better in the long run.”
Coach Valentine took time to commend two of his outgoing seniors — Olivia Thiel and Grace Spencer — both co-captains this season.
“They are special people and that makes it so much better (to coach them),” he said. “Olivia has worked so hard to be on varsity and now she’s a captain. … Grace is the backbone of this team. I was grooming her to be a forward for two years and last year we needed her at midfield and she did it with such grace, her name fits her. She made one of the biggest differences on the whole team.”
The future looks bright for Elma, which plans to return 12 of the 17 players on its roster, including 1A Evergreen League Offensive Player of the Year Beta Valentine (sophomore), Defensive Player of the Year Eliza Sibbett (junior) and a host of all-league student-athletes.
Elma 0 1 0 0 0 — 1
Overlake 0 1 0 0 1 — 2
