Skyline vs. Eastlake Game - Recap 5-3 Eastlake Wins
Eastlake and Skyline have met twice in regular season. The first, a close 7-5 win for Eastlake, and a less close victory on the second. This young rivalry had already developed into big league ball. Both of these teams potentially may go Division I next year with so much young talent on their teams. Eastlake gets on the board first after several changes of possession and one offensive set. It's Nicks to Howe for the first with 8:41 left in the quarter. Just a minute later in the first, Howe fires another rocket with 7:35 unassisted, to make the score 2-0. Fey hits Lee in the second quarter with just 1:51 on the clock and Eastlake possesses the ball through the half. Skyline is about equal in shots registering 7 at the half to Eastlake's 8. For the most part it has been a possession battle, turning it over and chasing back and forth to manage defensive driving to the cage and turning over either on backup or shots. Coming out in the second half, Skyline is hungry. Wiley has a great shot saved by Tao, and solid defensive work by Sisneros clearing has been helpful. Skyline gets an opportunity for a couple shots setting up a 1-4 drive from up top, but cannot convert. On a mix up play, Eastlake fires another, and Veintimilla gets on the board and raises the lead to 4 as Skyline is still trying to touch the net. Skyline comes back to the 1-4 nearing the end of the third quarter, and Austin Strand muscles one in to get Skyline a shot on the arm and a point on the board. Eastlake leads 4-1 as the third quarter winds down. Murphy has a good shot, but sweeps high and shoots high giving Tao an easy save. Going the other way, Eastlake quickly returns it to Skyline. Strand, Wiley, Murphy all get shots from the wing and from top center but can't get any to sink. Skyline is controlling the tempo in the fourth, but they have some ground to make up. Finally after owning the ball for the first four minutes Carlton finds Murphy for a ding and we have a 2 goal game with 2 minutes left. Just like that, with 6:19, McAuley hits Lee on the crease for a quickstick extending Eastlake's lead to 3. Wiley dodges three, to go down on the doorstep and can't finish, but Skyline keeps possession. Skyline steps in the crease, and gives the ball back to Eastlake with 5 minutes left in the game. Slashing on Eastlake with 3:25 left in the game gives Skyline a 1 minute EMO to make something happen. The man-down defense at Eastlake takes the ball, kills the penalty, and draws a 1 minute on Skyline as the Eastlake penalty ends. Skyline does the same thing, this time, they get possession man-down on a Gervais clear, and Murphy works back and forth against a double team before splitting Tao on a bouncer making the score 5-3 Eastlake with 1:09 remaining. Eastlake gets the face, calls a time out, and hangs on to the ball with Skyline playing like they have another quarter left in the season. Skyline gets the ball back after a shot, but doesn't go after the shot, ending the game with Eastlake making the trip to Memorial stadium to play Lynnwood. Eric Tao made a huge difference in cage tonight with 22 saves. Eastlake out ground balled Skyline 2-1.
