POULSBO — In a game in which 23 goals were scored, its hard to imagine that Monday’s Bainbridge Island-Kitsap girls’ lacrosse battle was a defensive struggle.
But that’s exactly what it was.
After Kitsap handed Bainbridge a 16-1 loss the first time the two “B” level teams played, coach Jan Hill and the Islanders prepared to put up a rugged defense aimed at stopping Kitsap’s attackers.
“Full team defense was our emphasis,” Hill said. “That was a big challenge.”
Though Kitsap still scored 15 goals in the game, Bainbridge’s defense was a force in causing turnovers and maintaining the Islanders’ possession. But Kitsap, a team known for its stifling squad defense, held strong.
“Kitsap plays really tough team defense,” Hill said. “You have to work really hard again them and it takes a lot of confidence and composure.”
Kitsap goalie Liz Gosney had 25 shots against her, saving 17 attempts — a personal best for her this season. Most of her saves were blocks off her body, signified by a “pop” each time an Island attacker would rush in for the score.
Elsewhere on defense, Kitsap was also aided by Havala Holmes, who had three caused turnovers and Anna Tanodra and Amie Wistrand, who also caused two turnovers apiece. A scroungy Kitsap team also led in the battle of ground balls, with Holmes having six in the game and Amanda Divyak adding five on the day.
The “D” is not reserved for Kitsap’s back field players, said one of the team’s main scoring threats, Krista Burleson.
“We just got started with our offense playing defense,” Burleson, who scored 2 goals in the game said. “We had to once we knew we didn’t have this (game) in the bag.”
In fact, the game wasn’t in the bag until the bitter end. Kitsap led 10-2 at the half and Bainbridge was able to sneak its way back into the game in the second, out-scoring the peninsula team 6 goals to 5. But for the island team, it was too little, too late.
Bria Phillips led Kitsap in scoring with 4 goals while Divyak, Megan Lockert and Katie Younger each added 3. Bainbridge goals were scored by Jane Baumgartner, who had 5, while Sydney Dale, Jori Saeger and Emily Robinson each added a tally.
For Kitsap (12-0), the win clinches the Washington Lacrosse Association’s “B” Western division title. The team will host a playoff game at 6:30 p.m. May 20 at Strawberry Field in Poulsbo after one more regular season game at Curtis May 13. Bainbridge (7-3-1) has two games left, including one with Curtis, with whom the team shares second place in the west.
