Big Nine Foes Shine Against Ferris, Mead

AAA soccer

Ferris had its day in the sun. Unfortunately, the sun got in its way.

Richland, taking advantage of a blinding Saturday afternoon sun the second half that at least distracted Ferris keeper Kelly McCaffery, drove home two goals to pull out a 3-2 win in the first round of the State AAA playoffs.

Richland, which had won the Big Nine but lost to Kamiakin in its district title game, gets a rubber match with Kamiakin in round two. The Braves knocked off Mead 3-0 in Kennewick.

The Saxons (11-6), on a high generated by beating perennial Greater Spokane League power Mead in the District 8 championship game, and the Panthers (15-2) are done.

Ferris and Richland battled evenly in entertaining a turnout of about 300 at Ferris Stadium.

But this one likely was decided at the coin toss. Richland won and chose to defend the north goal in the first half. It put McCaffery there the second half, looking squarely into the sun passing just above the southern horizon.

“In the first half, I lost the ball a couple of times (in the sun) and they almost scored on one,” said Richland keeper Julie Vanni, who came up with 11 saves, of which several were clutch stops.

“We wanted to have them in the sun the second half, definitely,” acknowledged Bombers coach Chris Smith.

Ferris coach Robin Crain agreed the sun played a role, but more important, he said, was the play of the Bombers.

“The Richland girls had some great shots,” he said. “Our keeper didn’t have much chance.”

Sophomore Jessie Delucchi, who plays at both ends of the field, used her left foot to kick home a bouncing ball from the edge of the penalty box 18 yards out in the 38th minute. That gave Richland a lead it wouldn’t relinquish.

But the backbreaker came in the first minute of the second half. Liz Duncan lofted a free kick from the left sideline over the head of McCaffery and a number of Saxons. As the players spun into the glare looking for the ball, Hope Solo pounced on it and banged it into an open net.

“I had trouble seeing the ball,” said Solo. “It was behind me and I had to turn around.”

Tara Swallow netted the winner 13 minutes into the second half from 18 yards out that McCaffery seemed to lose in the sun.

Hard-working junior Mariah McConnaughey, who drew a crowd whenever she touched the ball, figured in both Ferris goals.

She shook off a defender and drilled one past Vanni from 25 yards out on the right side 9 minutes into the second half, then made a beautiful crossing pass from between two defenders that Karie Pruett headed home from in front of the net 8 minutes later.

Crain praised Richland, but also noted “the Ferris girls gave a great effort.”

Meotis Erikson scored on a penalty kick and assisted on a Jenny Merkel goal to spark Kamiakin, which was outshot 21-9.

Besides the penalty kick, Kamiakin scored off two indirect free kicks.

“I’m disappointed we lost, but so pleased with the effort of the girls and the way we came back” from Wednesday’s district-final loss to Ferris, said Mead coach Dick Cullen.

“We put on a lot of pressure, but not in the attacking one-fourth of the field. We didn’t put any heat on their keeper,” he said. “We had opportunities, but you have to finish those off.”

, DataTimes