A barn-burner of a game to start 2006, as the young Huskies squeaked one out
against the always-game Lutes from PLU. Training by a goal, Freshman Attackman
Braden Moore (Sheldon HS, OR) scored UW's first goal of the season. Then with
the score tied 2-2, Freshman Middie Nick Tierney (Issaquah, WA) scored the first
of his game-high 5 goals with only 5 seconds left in the first quarter to give
UW its first lead.
The Huskies pushed out to 6-4 halftime lead, despite being out-shot 18-11
through the first two periods. The teams traded goals to start the second half,
but two more Tierney goals extended the lead to 8-5 with 9:58 left in the 3rd
quarter. PLU then went on a three-goal run to tie the game. Tierney slowed the
Lutes' momentum with his third goal of the period, but PLU scored twice to take
a 10-9 adavantage at the end of three.
The Huskies came out hot to start the 4th. Freshman Attackman Cameron Moore
(Garfield HS, WA) scored off a feed from Middie Wing Wong (Franklin HS, WA) and
then Wong scored his own goal just 13 seconds later, assisted by Tierney, for an
11-10 Washington lead. Kris Olsen's goal for PLU tied the game at 11s. Sophomore
Benn Vogelsang (Mt. Tamalpais, CA) gave the lead back to UW at 7:00, but Aaron
Hushagen scored for PLU only seconds later and the game was tied at 12-12 with
6:48 remaining in regulation. By this time the fans (about 150 strong) were
going crazy, as neither team seemed to have any real advantage. Our team doctor
was being kept extremely busy, as numerous players from each side were being
knocked out of the game with injuries. The most serious were a dislocated ankle
to PLU's star Middie Matt Kennedy and a back injury to Washington Sophomore LSM
Rick Martell-Scott (Roosevelt HS, WA). Sophomore Goalie Ozan Unluh (Oregon
Episcopal) kept the Huskies in the game with some great saves, while PLU's
Goalie shook off a shaky start to come up big also for the Lutes in the 4th
quarter. Sophomore Attackman Loren Thomas (Overlake HS, WA) converted a feed
from Cammy Moore with 4:06 left in regulation for a 13-12 Husky lead. Hushagen
answered for the Lutes a minute later for yet another tie. Washington had a
chance to win on offense at the end of regulation, but failed to convert and was
called for a slash at the horn while trying to stop the PLU clear.
Starting overtime with only nine men on the field, UW's man-down unit created
a loose ball, and PLU was flagged for it's own penalty during the play. The
Huskies worked the ball on offense until their own penalty was released, giving
the Dawgs a man-up opportunity. Double-teamed whenever he touched the ball,
Tierney found his high school teammate, Freshman Attackman Matt Robson (Issaquah
HS, WA) who converted the game-winning goal with 2:49 left in overtime, before
being mobbed by the jubilant Huskies. Our offense played patiently, said Head
Coach Matt Cone during the post-game celebration. And the defense was tough all
night. In the end we stayed calm and got it done, said Cone. A heckuva game,
it's great to get that first win. Thanks for coming up to Seattle, PLU, and for
giving us all we could handle yet again. Good luck in California next weekend
and the rest of the season.
