BATTLE GROUND — Port Angeles goalkeeper Kennedy Rognlien did everything in her power to keep the Roughriders soccer team in the game against Hockinson, but the Riders simply didn’t get many scoring chances as their season came to an end in a 1-0 loss in the state 2A opener.
The score could have easily been much more lopsided as the Hawks peppered the Port Angeles goal with shot after shot, especially in the first half as the ball was on the Riders’ side of the field nearly the entire half.
Rognlien made 16 saves, several of them spectacular. One of her best saves didn’t even count because the play was called offsides late.
“I told her after the game that was probably the most impressive individual performance I had ever seen out of a high school athlete,” said coach Daniel Horton. “I couldn’t compliment her enough.”
The Hawks used some long passes to break their strikers down the field behind Port Angeles’ defense. It worked right away in the eighth minute on a long pass that got Kaili Humphrey behind the defense. Rognlien came out of goal to try and cut the angle, but Humphrey was able to score with a shot out of her reach to the far post.
Horton said even on that goal, Rognlien nearly got the ball with her foot.
“She was one or two inches away from deflecting it wide,” he said.
Hockinson kept using the strategy of long passes over the defense. But after that early goal, Rognlien stopped every shot. Probably her best stop came in the 31st minute on a spectacular diving save on a point-blank shot in the penalty box.
Rognlien made another great hockey-like save in the 21st minute with her toe to knock a wide-open shot wide of the post. However, Hockinson was ruled offsides on the play with a late whistle, and that shot and save ended up not counting.
Port Angeles’ best chance to score came in the first couple of minutes of the second half. The Riders were able to get the ball deep into the Hockinson box. Several Riders got the ball on their feet, but Hockinson had the box packed with defenders and Port Angeles was never able to get a clear shot.
“There was enough chaos and enough bodies in the box … we just couldn’t get a shot off,” Horton said.
The Riders had another golden opportunity in the 55th minute when a player was fouled just outside the penalty box, allowing a point-blank direct free kick. They were not able to convert, however.
Horton said the team played better in the second half and made it a game. The Riders’ defense didn’t allow as many shots in the second half, but Rognlien still had some great saves.
Her best came in the waning minutes as the entire Port Angeles team was forward desperately trying to score a late goal. Rognlien came way out of the box to get to a ball behind the Riders’ defense before a Hockinson forward could get to it. Hockinson was able to get to the ball first, kicking it wide toward the right side of the field.
As Port Angeles defenders tried to come scurrying back into position, Rognlien ran 30 yards back into goal and somehow got there in time to make a diving save on what appeared to be a sure-fire insurance goal. Even her final save in stoppage time was a good one, jumping high to knock a high shot over the crossbar.
Port Angeles finished its season with a record of 16-5.
Horton said the Riders graduate a lot of their top players, starting with Rognlien. Also graduating are Teanna Clark, Pyper Alton, Becca Manson, Cayleigh Alward and Allison Fricker.
They bring back Mariah Traband, Lilly Anne Lancaster, Emma Desjardins, Morgan Politika, Stella Fradkin, Sophia Ritchie and several others.
“We’re already excited to see who steps up next year,” Horton said.
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Sports Editor Pierre LaBossiere can be contacted at 360-417-3525 or sports@peninsuladailynews.com.
The Port Angeles girls soccer team wrapped its season with a 1-0 loss to Hockinson in the Class 2A state girls soccer tournament. The Roughriders finished 16-6 overall.
