Rematch with CK turns out OK

The big rematch turned into a bit of a mismatch as a defensive scheme turned quite offensive.

The South Kitsap girls soccer team employed a strategy to pull Central Kitsap away from its own goal and open up the passing lanes during Tuesday’s rematch at Marcus Whitman Junior High.

It worked so well that the Wolves got three goals by Central’s standout keeper Emily Zygmontowicz to claim a 3-0 win.

“We wanted to get the defense moving away from their goal, even if it’s just one step,” South Kitsap coach Eric Bergeson said. “The forward comes back, lays off to the midfielder, then you can turn and burn.”

That scheme led to first-half goals by Nicole Bussman and Cassi Brown. Lauren Gehring added a second-half goal to ice the match. The three goals were the first Zygmontowicz had allowed since Central’s first meeting with the Wolves, 1-0 win for SK.

“You usually have a couple minutes where after you get the first goal, and we talk about this, there’s a good opportunity to get another,” Bergeson said. “Some teams are used to being behind. I know it hasn’t happened very much to Central Kitsap. They were in uncharted waters.”

Zygmontowicz has allowed just five goals all year, four of those against South Kitsap.

“It was really important to come out and score early,” Brown said. “That breaks down the other team.”

Brown and Bussman’s goals came two minutes apart and gave SK keeper Ricci Kranjcevich plenty of room to work with.

“This was the first game I was really nervous about,” Kranjcevich said. “But I had an awesome defense in front of me and we all work-ed through it. It was an awesome win for us.”

The loss leaves Central (11-2, 9-2) in a second-place tie with Gig Harbor.

“I’m proud of my team, I thought it was a great effort,” Central coach Vicky Webb said. “They’re not necessarily a better team, they just played better today.”

With the victory the Wolves (12-1, 10-1) are alone in first place of the Bridge Division of the Narrows League with matches remaining against Bremerton and Port Angeles.

South Kitsap 3,

Central Kitsap 0

First half - 1, SK, Nicole Bussman (Cassie Brown), 27th minute. 2, SK, Brown (Lauren Gehring), 29th.

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