Coupeville Sports

Some nights you look for positives where you can find them.

On a Thursday night when both the Coupeville High School volleyball and girls’ soccer teams lost, there was one big, bright, glaring moment of magic to be found for the Wolves, and it shone from the talented toe of Amanda d’Almeida.

Back from her most recent college recruiting trip, the senior booter scored not one, but two goals (doubling Coupeville’s output on the season), dazzling the Sultan goalkeeper, who spent more time admiring d’Almeida’s shots than was probably necessary.

Unfortunately the heroics of the golden-footed one were not enough to save the Wolves from taking a 6-2 loss, dropping them to 0-6 on the season.

Still, even in defeat, it was a night to remember, as d’Almeida came agonizingly close to the school’s first hat trick. She had another shot deflect off of a teammate’s head (she hit the ball so hard there wasn’t a chance for the other player to duck) and had another beautifully timed shot waved off on a technicality.

Her two successful scores came on a penalty kick and on a play set up by a note-perfect cross by teammate Jennifer Spark.

Meanwhile, back on the Island, the CHS spike squad put up an admirable fight before falling in four tough sets to Cascade Conference juggernaut Archbishop Thomas Murphy. The 25-17, 25-17, 20-25, 25-22 loss snapped the Wolves two-game winning streak and dropped them to 2-4 overall, 1-4 in league play.

Hailey Hammer paced Coupeville with eight kills while Amanda Fabrizi (14 digs) and Breeanna Messner (four kills, 14 digs) sparkled in support of her.