Coupeville Sports

Cassie Neil

Soccer is the beautiful game, but even the beautiful game can be agony at times.

That rare mix, of sublime play, and one, small gut-stabbing error, was on display at Ft. Nugent Saturday, as the Whidbey Islanders GU17 soccer squad lost a 1-0 heart-breaker.

A game that they dominated, start to finish, took one bad bounce and ended up, against all odds, in the loss column. In one of those quirks of fate, an own goal sealed the Islanders fate.

The game’s defining play came on a melee in front of the net in the second half. Fighting for position, the Islander defenders shut down a striker with the ball, but when one Whidbey player went to clear the ball with her non-dominant foot, it took a bigger skip than expected and sailed over the head of keeper Kenzie Perry, plopping into the back of the net.

“She felt horrible, but it happens,” said Whidbey coach Sean LeVine.

In a side note, LeVine barely missed being part of the most famous own goal in Island history. He was an eighth-grader when the Oak Harbor High School boys’ soccer squad lost 1-0 in the state semifinals when a Wildcat defender, who went on to play college ball, tried to clear the ball in the game’s waning moments.

Accustomed to playing on grass, the ‘Cat tapped the ball, and watched in horror as it took a bigger bounce than expected on a turf field, shooting past his goalie and denying Oak Harbor a berth in the state title game.

Like that OHHS squad, the Islanders are a scrappy bunch who never stop coming, and their play all around the accidental goal pleased LeVine.

“We absolutely dominated possession on their half for the entire first half,” LeVine said. “We played the best soccer I have seen all season!”

Striker Matti Miesle, a speed demon, had Whidbey’s best chance to score. She challenged the goalie on a one-on-one, but was denied at the last moment by a beautiful diving save.

The game also marked the return of Cassie Neil, who had missed several months after a back injury. Her physical therapy behind her, the exuberant Neil took advantage of the limited time she was allowed to play Saturday, earning the team’s hustle award.