Shorecrest girls' soccer team tops Shorewood 2-0 Saturday on late goals

By Wilson Tsoi

Shoreline Stadium -- Coming into the crosstown showdown with identical 4-2 overall records, Shorecrest hosted WesCo 3A co-leader Shorewood in an entertainingly physical game. Pretty it was not, featuring two red cards and a judo-style throw down.

Fifteen minutes into the game, Shorecrest junior midfielder Lulu Wissmar (#20) was shown a red card by the center ref for unsportsmanlike conduct. To the joy of Shorewood fans minutes afterward, Shorecrest head coach Mindy Dalziel was shown the exit for arguing Wissmar's red card and verbal abuse. The rest of the first half was dominated by Lady Thunderbirds ball control and shots on goal. However despite Shorewood's decisive momentum after the Scots' two red cards, Shorewood was unable to take one-player advantage, and the first half ended in a scoreless tie.

Coming off the break, Shorecrest turned the table and became the dominant force. Overcoming a one-player deficit and without a head coach, the Lady Scots controlled the pitch and yielded several shots on goal. After a Shorewood foul at the 77th minute, Shorecrest junior Nicole Harris (#12) fired a free kick from the right, and Shorecrest junior forward Bri Lasconia (#10) redirected the ball between Shorewood junior goalkeeper Karlie Leclair and the near post for the Scots; go-ahead goal.

Two minutes later, Shorewood frustration grew as evident when Thunderbird sophomore defender Mackenzie Cornell-Maier (#18) body slammed Shorecrest's Bri Lasconia (#10) into the ground, though only a caution was issued. On a following Shorewood foul 5 yards outside the top left of the Shorewood penalty area, Shorecrest junior Nicole Harris (#12) drove a free-kick over the Shorewood defense, under the crossbar and beyond Shorewood goalkeeper Karlie Leclair's reach for an insurance goal one minute into extra time.

While junior Karlie Leclair was in goal for Shorewood (4-1 league, 4-3 overall) the entire game, Ashley Beeson tended Shorecrest goal in the first half, and Frida Swensen took care of the second for a Shorecrest clean sheet (5-1 league, 5-2 overall).