Soccer: Boys hang tough but suffer another overtime loss; girls' rally falls short

Working overtime didn't pay off again for the hard-luck La Conner boys' soccer team.

For the second straight week, the Braves fell at home in an extra session after forging a tie in regulation.

This time it was state-ranked Providence Classical Christian that escaped with a 3-2 overtime win, spoiling a spirited La Conner effort in an often-physical contest played before a supportive Homecoming crowd on Oct. 25.

"It was a good match," La Conner head coach Galen ­McKnight said afterward. "We were right there the whole time. We've pretty much been within a play or two every time out."

With yet another close loss, La Conner fell to a misleading 2-9-1 on the campaign. Seven of those losses have been by two goals or less.

All scoring last Friday occurred after halftime. La Conner nearly took a 1-0 lead at the break but a strong left-footed attempt by Christian Fix at an open goal caromed hard off one of the posts.

Fix secured a 1-1 deadlock in the second frame when he converted a penalty kick after teammate Jarrett Hatch was fouled.

Hatch moments later gave La Conner a short-lived 2-1 lead when he blasted a shot into the net through a sliding block by the PCC keeper. The collision briefly sidelined but didn't knock Hatch out of the match.

With just under 10 minutes remaining in regulation, PCC tied matters at 2-2, which is where things stood until overtime thanks to a diving save by Braves' goalie Tyler Cicotte.

The clash was decided midway through the five-minute OT when a PCC striker hit a crosser.

Girls' soccer

Meanwhile, the La Conner girls' soccer team dropped a 4-1 home decision to NW2B/1B rival Friday Harbor in its lone match last week.

The hosts fell behind 2-0 in the first half but rallied after the break. La Conner's Baylee Smith was fouled in the box and was awarded a penalty kick, which she converted.

"The second half was a much better half for us," Braves head coach Maddie Huscher said. "The girls were controlling the ball, taking time to find their teammates and passing to feet."

La Conner (3-5-2) resumes action at 3 p.m. today (Wednesday) at Lopez Island. The girls then play at Mount Vernon Christian at 4 p.m. Friday.