Wildcats fall to state’s top team | Soccer

Published 8:59 am Thursday, October 4, 2012

The state’s top-ranked 3A soccer team, Meadowdale, defeated Oak Harbor 7-0 Tuesday, Oct. 2, at Wildcat Memorial Stadium.

The Mavericks upped their record to 9-0 while securing their sixth shutout.

Oak Harbor “played really well at the start, frustrating Meadowdale for the first 22 minutes,” said Oak Harbor coach Jeff Laiblin.

Then the Mavericks (9-0) scored to go up 1-0. Two goals quickly followed after Oak Harbor mistakes.

Laiblin said, “We gave the ball away twice in front of the goal, and with the talent they have they easily but away two great shots.”

Meadowdale used its 23-man roster to bring intense pressure throughout the match, Laiblin said, while the Wildcats fielded only 13 players (and finished with only 11) because of injuries.

Laiblin said, “I was proud of the heart the ladies showed, never giving up, playing hard to the end trying to create opportunities…The lack of scoring is frustrating us as we continue to try to maintain some consistency with the offense while dealing with missing players.”

The Wildcats (0-4, 1-7-1) dropped their sixth seventh straight match and suffered their sixth shutout.

Oak Harbor hosts Shorewood (3-3-3) at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 4.