The Orcas girls soccer team played Mt. Vernon Christian at Mt. Vernon and lost in a close game 3-2. Coach Chama Anderson said, “The team played well against Mt. Vernon. I moved my main keeper, Alison O’Toole, out of the goal and put her up front to run, and she scored with a beautiful cross fed to her by Grace Thompson. We scored again, very quickly, as Sophie Thixton knocked one into their goal that the goalie just couldn’t stop with her hands, but then we broke down defensively.

“Mt. Vernon answered our scoring drive with incredible quickness, capitalizing rapidly on our elation at having scored two goals in rapid succession. Before my team knew it, Mt. Vernon Christian had tied the game. And we do have a hard time recovering. We got the wind knocked out of our sails and the other team capitalized on our inattention to our job.”

The soccer team fell to Friday Harbor in an evening game on San Juan Island. Coach Anderson said, “Our passing game is getting better and better; during the Friday Harbor game in particular, players were clicking with one another beautifully. The natural movement of the team was great, but shots were off, even though we stayed put in their territory 90% of the time. Friday Harbor seemed stronger during the second half and then we accidentally scored on ourselves with a rogue kick.

“Then Friday Harbor put two more into the goal during the end of the second half and though we lost on points, we played the best we could. The young people did great, and the sportsmanship on both sides was really commendable.”

The girls soccer team plays their last home game this Thursday, Oct. 23 against North Sound Christian.