Kitsap Pumas Beat Local Rivals Seattle Wolves 2-0

Several weeks ago we checked in with native Minnesotan, Max Lipset and his PDL team the Kitsap Pumas. We will continue to follow Max through the incredible season the first year Kitsap program is having in Seattle.

BREMERTON, Wash. (AP) – Last night, as Kitsap Pumas forward Stephen Phillips was being interviewed by a local blogger, his teammates Matt Friesen and Mark Conrad snuck up behind him to dump a cooler of ice water on him.

It was the only way to cool off the hot foot of Phillips, whose two scores were enough for Kitsap to defeat the Seattle Wolves 2-0 Tuesday night at Bremerton Memorial HS Stadium. The win gives the streaking Pumas a perfect 4-0 record on this current homestand and sixth-straight league win overall.

The victory gives Kitsap (10-0-2, 32 league points) a commanding seven-point lead over the Portland Timbers U23 in the race for the USL Premier Development League Northwest Division title.

The club also increased its goal differential to whopping +26 (33 for, 7 against) and move to the top of the entire 68-team PDL table by a point over the Long Island Rough Riders.

“We know we’re playing well and we’re a good team,” head coach John Wedge said afterward. “We just keep rolling.”

Goalkeeper Dustyn Brim felt the entire team gave its all on the pitch against the Wolves.

“Full credit (goes) to the team,” he said. “Bodies were flying – on every single opportunity we had we were throwing whatever we had in front of the ball. When you put in an effort like that, you’re going to get a good result.”

Many of the 1,123 were still getting settled in their seats when Phillips’ first goal came in the second minute. Defender Stephen Mohn made a fantastic pass from deep in Kitsap’s own end to Phillips, who was streaking into Seattle’s penalty box.

With a Seattle defender on his hip, the rookie shook him off, then beat charging Wolves goalkeeper John Moore to deftly place the ball into the left corner of the goal.

The goal set a new record for quickest score in franchise history.

Eight minutes later, Taylor Hyde made a pass from deep in Kitsap’s end to the 6-foot-1 forward in stride towards the goal again which forward Spencer Schomaker flicked on to Phillips. Even with two defenders on him and Moore charging after him, Phillips tapped the ball past him for his second score of the game. It’s the third time this season the Sandy, Utah native has scored two goals in a match. He also leads the team in goals (7) and points (17.)

“My dad always told me to never slow down, so I just try to keep going – especially when you have that little burst of pace on them and you’re ahead of them,” Phillips said of his second score. “That slide toe poke – it was just instinct, I guess.”

“Just seeing him fight those two guys off – every time he gets in a dangerous space, I’m on my toes knowing he’s going to score,” Brim said. Wedge praised Phillips for yet another strong performance.

“He’s amazing,” he said. “You don’t think he’s going to get to a ball, but he stretches out (and gets it)… he’s so composed out there.”

The defense and midfield took over for the rest of the game, not letting the Wolves into its end for much of the first half, then turning away a more spirited Seattle effort in the second.

Despite the numerous Wolves throw-ins and corner kicks that found their way into a crowded penalty box, the Pumas back line of Stephen Mohn, Taylor Hyde, Max Lipset and Mark Lee, along with Brim, held firm.Tonight’s win marks the fifth shutout in nine starts for Brim and lowers his goals allowed average to a minuscule .333 for the season.

“We have a lot of big boys so I wasn’t worried about (Seattle’s) height at all,” Brim said. “As long as we make sure we’re on our toes and attacking everything and as soon as we clear it out – boom! – we’re flying out to cover it again. Credit to the whole team for that.”

“They were outstanding,” Wedge said of his defense’s performance. “They had a number of great defensive headers… I’m very, very proud of them.”

Wedge also said another key was Seattle not having one of its starters – and captain – available.

“We knew they were without their big guy in the back,”  he said, referring to Seattle defender Dan Scott, who was out on a red card suspension from the Wolves’ previous match. “We were able to win the ball in the air, and that proved to be the difference.”

The season couldn’t have gone any better for the Pumas so far, and Brim feels it’s due to a sense of brotherhood that has developed within the side.

“The whole team has come together so fast and so tight,” he said. “We do everything together off the field. We’re around each other 24/7. Normally you would get tired of people and you’re not – we just keep plugging for each other and having fun with each other.”

They’ll try to keep the fun going this Saturday night when the Pumas travel to Portland for another big game with the Timbers U23.

Will Sturgess and Eli Gordley won’t be available for that game. Gordley is still out with a sprained ankle, while Sturgess suffered soft tissue damage to the ligaments and tendons in his right ankle during practice on Monday. Wedge said Gordley will be back in a week. They originally feared Sturgess was lost for the season, but the team trainer told him last night that he might be back in a week as well.

Tony Kerr also suffered an injury when a hard-hit ball struck his hand in the first half. He went out for a bit but returned to play out the first and most of the second with his hand taped before being subbed for by Aziz Dieng in the 57th minute.