Kitsap Pumas News Release -- www.kitsapsoccerclub.com
Friday, May 27, 2011
TACOMA, Wash. — There’s a reason Kitsap Pumas midfielder Matt Friesen spends so much time after practice working on his free kicks.
He showed the league why Friday against Tacoma.
Friesen scored on not one, but two free kicks in the first half as the Pumas routed the Tide 6-1 in a Premier Development League Northwest Division game at Stadium Bowl.
"It’s a good performance definitely," Friesen said. "I’m proud of our guys. We are a deep team and it’s starting to really come together."
With the victory, Kitsap (4-0-1 overall) improved to 2-0-1 in US Open Cup qualifying play. The Pumas and Portland both have the same record after three qualifying games, but Kitsap currently holds a one-goal advantage in goal differential.
Kitsap can clinch the division’s lone Open Cup berth if it beats North Sound on the road Sunday by a three-goal margin. Anything less and Portland — which plays Tacoma on Sunday — could take the coveted berth from Kitsap.
Scoring seven goals in their first four games, Kitsap erupted on Friday.
After Robby Christner gave Kitsap a 1-0 lead with a goal in the fifth minute, Friesen doubled Kitsap’s advantage with a 35-yard strike in the 13th minute. The veteran put home another free kick in the 20th-minute — a minute after Chase Tangney scored for Tacoma — to put Kitsap ahead 3-1.
"It was pretty close to the same spot," said Friesen, who now leads the team with four goals.
With Kitsap coach Peter Fewing making liberal use of his deep bench he substituted freely in the second half as the Pumas continued their relentless pressure on Tacoma’s net.
The side finished the match with four rookies on the pitch - GK Bryan Meredith; central defender Sam Roca, Winger Chris Andre and forward Bryan Burke. Burke arrived in Kitsap just over 48 hours prior to kickoff, upon completing graduation at the University of San Francisco and had put only one training session under his belt with his new team before tonight’s impressive effort.
Meredith now holds an other-worldly 0.40 goals-against-average including a league-leading three shutouts on the young season. He and the stellar Puma defense have allowed only one goal from the run of play this season and a total of only two in five matches.
David Gray got in the books in the 52nd-minute off an assist from Warlen Silva, then Silva made it 5-1 in the 78th minute after stealing the ball from a Tacoma defender and dribbling around goalkeeper Jordan Jennings for an empty-net finish. Minutes later the fleet-footed Brazlian nearly duplicated the feat, missing by inches.
Andre finished off the scoring in the 80th minute with a great left-footed finish off an assist from fellow substitute Greg Miley.
Fewing thought Gray’s goal was the one that put Tacoma away for good.
"We broke their will," he said. "Simple as that."