Kitsap Pumas News Release -- www.kitsapsoccerclub.com
Friday, June 17, 2011
BREMERTON, Wash. -- The Kitsap Pumas certainly know how to keep things interesting these days.
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After a dour first half during Friday's match against the Abbotsford Mariners at Bremerton Memorial Stadium, the sparks flew in the second as three cards were shown, including a red card to goalkeeper Zac Lubin. But Kitsap prevailed as Bryan Burke, Nik Besagno and Matt Friesen all scored to help put Kitsap over Abbotsford 3-1.
The win keeps the Pumas undefeated at 8-0-1 and puts them 11 points clear of the Vancouver Whitecaps Residency at the top of the USL Premier Development League's Northwest Division.
There wasn't much action in the first half. Abbotsford thought it has taken the lead when a shot snuck past the near post off a corner kick but the flag was up for offside well before the shot was taken. Robby Christner came the closest for the Pumas when his shot went over the crossbar by inches just a few minutes before halftime.
Friesen said it took them some time to get going after coming back from their dramatic U.S. Open Cup win over the El Paso Patriots in Texas Tuesday night.
“It took a little bit of getting the legs going,” he said. “We haven't played on our home field in over a month.”
Head coach Peter Fewing said that fatigue wasn't a factor – but getting used to their grass field did take some time.
“We recovered pretty well,” he said. “The field looks fantastic – [Bremerton School District groundskeeper] Lance [McCoy] has done a great job getting the field ready after a cold winter – but it was a bit sticky. The ball was getting stuck to our feet.
“So I said for the second half, [let's keep it at] one, two touches,” Fewing continued. “And they did just that. They adjusted really well.”
Kitsap got on the board in the 57th minute when Friesen headed a ball to Burke, who put his head on the ball to get it past Abbotsford goalkeeper Andrew Kowan. It was Burke's first goal in a Puma uniform.
But the Mariners got the equalizer in the 72nd minute off a controversial call. Dan Scott didn't get enough on his header back to Lubin and Sasa Plavsic tried to take advantage of the mistake. Lubin made a tackle in the box to get the ball away, but Plavsic went down. The referee felt Lubin got the ball before the man and sent Lubin off, much to his, the players and the fans' dismay.
“I didn't agree with the penalty call but it happens,” Fewing said. “It's tough because he makes a good save, he does what he's supposed to do – the guy falls over him because that's what he's supposed to do – but the referee didn't do what he was supposed to do.”
Casey Collins, who had been signed just a few days earlier, came on for Lubin, but Plavsic easily converted the attempt.
Kitsap took the lead for good 38 seconds later when Elliot Fauske made a good hustle play in Abbotsford's defensive third to take the ball and make a quick pass to fellow sub Warlen Silva. Silva then found Besagno wide open in the goal box to send the ball past Kowan for the lead.
“The guys were great to counter,” Fewing said. “Those shots are easier to miss than to make, so that was great.”
Friesen sealed full points for Kitsap when a handball was called on an Abbotsford player in the box in the 88th minute. The Oregon native beat Kowan for his team leading sixth goal of the year. Kitsap now turns its focus to the second round of the U.S. Open Cup. They host the Real Colorado Foxes, who are also undefeated and at the top of the Central Conference Heartland Division table, at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Bremerton Memorial Stadium. The winner will face the two-time defending Cup winners in the Seattle Sounders at a date to be determined.
Tickets are $5 and are available exclusively through Brown Paper Tickets at brownpapertickets.com until game day.