Ferndale soccer forced to take tough route to state again

The Ferndale girls’ soccer team has yet to qualify for the state tournament, and if it is to make it in 2015, the Golden Eagles are going to have to earn it.

Ferndale now must win three straight elimination game following a 4-2 loss to Arlington in the first round of the Class 3A Northwest District Tournament on Saturday, Oct. 31.

“We’re still looking to get into state, but in the next three games we’re going to need that W,” Ferndale coach Joe Gonzalez said in a phone interview. “We’ve got to take it one game at a time.”

First up will be Shorewood — a 1-0 loser to Glacier Peak on Saturday — in a 7 p.m. game Tuesday, Nov. 3, at Shoreline Stadium.

The good news is Shorewood won’t have Olivia Larson on their roster, because the Golden Eagles saw just about enough of her on Saturday. Though she didn’t score until picking up an insurance goal late in the game, her presence was definitely felt.

“She was good,” Gonzalez said. “All their goals had to do with No. 18 being able to break down our defense and pull players out of position and play off her. She’s a really crafty player, a great dribbler and really fast. This was a case where film didn’t do her justice.”

After falling behind 2-0 by halftime, Ferndale got a goal from Kayla Downs off an assist from Jillian Monson in the 50th minute and another from Christiana Salinas assisted by Taylor Bryan in the 57th to tie the game up.

But Ferndale couldn’t get over the hump, and the Eagles score a pair of goals in the final 10 minutes to grab the victory.

“Our girls played well,” Gonzalez said. “They played hard, and now we’ve got to go out and do it again against Shorewood.”

This story was originally published October 31, 2015 at 8:38 PM with the headline "Ferndale soccer forced to take tough route to state again."