Bainbridge loses heartbreaker to be eliminated at state

The Bainbridge Spartans’ girls soccer team’s season ended in painful fashion.

The No. 4-seeded Spartans fell to the No. 5-seeded Anacortes Seahawks 4-3 Nov. 15 at home in the quarterfinals of the 2A state tournament. The team only lost two matches all season.

“It’s heartbreaking,” Bainbridge coach Katie Drovdahl said. “I told the girls, you know, there’s only one team that’s gonna lose, right? And for us, [this] is our second loss.”

Spartan midfielder Magda Rufo-Hill put in a header goal at the 34-minute mark in the match, giving Bainbridge an early 1-0 lead over the Seahawks.

However, that lead would not last after Anacortes managed to put in three goals on the Spartan defense later in the first half, spelling trouble for the Spartans early on. But Spartan defender Maggie Dunstan responded by putting in the second goal for Bainbridge with 15 minutes remaining in the first half.

Anacortes led 3-2 going into halftime.

“I think our girls played with more confidence [in the second half],” Drovdahl said. “I think in the second half, they just played less afraid and kind of stepped up.”

The Spartan defense tightened up in the second half, limiting the potent Seahawks’ offense and controlling the ball for a large majority of the first 15 minutes of the half.

Spartan midfielder Inez Gerbeck landed the first shot on goal for either squad but couldn’t convert. Rufo-Hill put in another goal to tie the game up at three apiece within the first 20 minutes of the half.

But Anacortes responded with a goal of their own with six minutes remaining in the game, giving the Spartans little time to mount a comeback.

“They were a very tough opponent,” Drovdahl said. “And we hung with them, you know, like challenged them and gave them a run for their money.”

Bainbridge previously beat the No. 13-seeded Selah Vikings Nov. 12, 1-0 in penalty kicks in the opening round of state.

“[Coach] was just telling us to dig deep because we have a lot of chemistry,” Rufo-Hill said. “I mean, we didn’t score in the extra time, but we finished in PKs and we practice PKs every day in practice.”

Neither team could get much of anything going for the first ten minutes of the game with Bainbridge largely pushing the ball into Selah territory, but unable to generate any shots on goal.

Spartan midfielder Vega Hendrickson managed to land the first shot on goal for the Spartans, but couldn’t get it to find the back of the net. Nonetheless, the Spartans largely kept the ball in Viking territory, not relinquishing any momentum they found in the beginning of the game.

Every Selah attempt to get the ball into Bainbridge territory was stopped short by defenders Dunstan and Siri Smith, who largely patrolled the middle portion of the field for a majority of the first half.

Spartan midfielders Isla Buffkin and Rufo-Hill landed two more shots on goal, but once again could not convert.

Rufo-Hill landed a prime shot on goal attempt with a little over ten minutes remaining in the first half, but the ball bounced off the crossbar and out of play, keeping the game scoreless at halftime.

“We knew they were going to be physical, and so we needed to try and match that,” Drovdahl said.

The beginning of the second half bore many similarities to that of the first, with neither team able to get much of anything going within the first ten minutes.

Rufo-Hill landed another shot on goal attempt, the first for the Spartans of the half, but couldn’t put it in the net.

The Spartans landed a corner kick with 13 minutes remaining, but couldn’t manage a goal, keeping the game scoreless. Bainbridge kept control of the ball for the majority of the second half as well, not letting Selah obtain many opportunities to score goals and keeping the ball in Viking territory.

Nonetheless, the game remained scoreless after two halves of play, sending the game to extra time.

Neither team could pull out a win in two extra time periods, forcing the game to go to penalty kicks to decide a victor for the first time all season for Bainbridge.

Spartans Taylor Mass, Dunstan, Maya Zick, Rosey Romney, and Hendrickson all converted their penalty kicks while Selah missed one of their PKs, giving the win to Bainbridge.

“This is the first season ever where we haven’t gone to PKs, and they made every single one,” Drovdahl said. “I’m so proud of them.”

In 3A, No. 6 seed Central Kitsap was eliminated in the state quarterfinals by No. 3 seed Bellevue 3-2 Nov. 15. The Cougars won their opening match 1-0 against No. 11 seed Holy Names Academy.

Spartan Magda Rufo-Hill keeps the ball away from a Selah defender in a 1-0 home win over the Selah Vikings Nov. 12 in the first round of the 2A state tournament.