Lady Braves soccer team 'goes fourth' and conquers

In the end, her players were smiling.

And that’s what counts most for NW2B Coach of the Year Amy Freeto, whose Lady Braves placed fourth in State tournament action in Sumner last weekend.

La Conner dropped a heartbreaking 2-1 semifinal match to Crosspoint Academy, whom Freeto calls La Conner’s “forever foe,” before falling 6-0 to pre-tourney favorite Adna in the consolation round.

“It was not what we intended,” Freeto conceded, “but we’re proud we got there just the same.”

She was referring to La Conner’s third appearance in the State Final Four, which ranks first all-time among NW2B girls’ soccer teams.

That legacy helped console her players afterward.

“We talked about the wins that got us there,” said Freeto, whose club posted a program-best 17-4 mark this season and captured league and bi-district titles. “Some amazing soccer was played. A great team was made and will be remembered.”

Freeto made sure her entire roster remembered the State experience, finding playing time for each of her charges.

“We played everyone,” she said, “so they’d have a taste of the tournament under their cleats.”

It was a bittersweet taste in the semis, for sure. La Conner and Crosspoint locked up in a classic match — as always seems to be the case — before the Lady Warriors pulled out a 2-1 win in the final seconds of double overtime.

Crosspoint has long been a post-season nemesis for La Conner, but this year the Lady Braves had twice beaten the Bremerton powerhouse.

Freeto expected — and received — yet another hard-fought clash.

“They scored on us early as usual,” she said, “but we were able to tie it up in the middle of the second half on a great cross to Sophia Benetti.”

Benetti, a freshman, had scored her first-ever goal in La Conner’s prior match with Crosspoint.

“She came off the bench for another injury,” Freeto said, “and worked her magic point and center in front of the goal.”

La Conner goalkeeper Sarah Hastings also worked much wizardry, recording 14 saves as Crosspoint enjoyed a 25-7 advantage in shots attempted.

The Lady Warriors prevailed on a deep launch shot with six seconds remaining in the second extra session.

“I was already preparing our lineup for a shootout,” said Freeto. “It’s hard to rally a group after that kind of disappointment.”

Fortunately, Freeto could call upon a resilent squad led by co-NW2B Most Valuable Player Kyla Crawford and fellow All-League selections Emma Lee, Taylor Reimland, Briana Porter, and Ashley Carlson.

Disappointment eventually gave way to a sense of accomplishment.

“I was really proud of their attitudes,” Freeto said of her players. “I believe it’s the only time we’ve held up that fourth place trophy with everyone smiling. So, all in all, it was a good ‘win’ for us.”