Sean Donley brings the ball up field during practice (Robert Pelant photo)
So, so close.
For the second time in three road games this season, the Coupeville High School boys’ soccer squad fell by the slimmest of margins, dropping a 1-0 thriller at Lakewood Friday night.
A surprise goal in the second minute of the game — with Cougar Antino Bellizzi finding the back of the net off an assist from Randy Anaya — did the damage. From that point on, Wolf goalie Kole Kellison and Lakewood counterpart Gustavo Garcia were flawless, matching each other save for save.
The loss dropped the Wolves to 0-3 on the young season, 0-2 in Cascade Conference play.
Coupeville will finally get a home match this coming Tuesday, March 26, when it hosts Island rival South Whidbey. JV kicks off at 4 PM, varsity at 6.
The Wolves will take to the pitch that night still seeking their first goal of the season. As in an earlier 1-0 loss at Friday Harbor, Coupeville had a shot that would have, should have, could have been a score … but wasn’t.
Then, it was a large mud puddle that thwarted Nathan Lamb’s shot after he beat the Friday Harbor goaltender. Friday night it was a Pele-style shot from Sean Donley that almost got the Wolves off the snide.
“One of our best scoring chances came off a spectacular overhead bicycle kick by Sean from 12 yards out that was saved by their goalkeeper,” said Wolf coach Paul Mendes. “If that had gone in, it would have been ‘goal of the year’.
“The early goal was a bit of a shocker, but we recovered well to even out the game and take it to them right to the end,” he added. “We created more scoring opportunities than in the last game, so we are making progress.
Coupeville benefited from the return of Jeremy Copenhaver, who missed the previous game due to illness.
“That helped stabilize our midfield play, and our defense put in a solid effort shutting them out the entire second half,” Mendes said. “We will go back to work Monday and get ready for South Whidbey.”
Coupeville Sports 
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