Kitsap edges Tacoma 3:2, retains Narrows Bridge Bell in 2010

Photo Feature: A gallery from this match by Chris Coulter is here

The Kitsap Pumas edged Tacoma Tide FC 3:2 Saturday night in University Place in the second leg of the annual Narrows Bridge Bell derby. The win built on the Pumas' 3:0 win over the Tide in May and gave the West Sound club bragging rights for the second straight year.

The Pumas scored before the pro-Kitsap crowd had even settled in their seats. Matt Friesen directed a free kick past Tide goalkeeper Jordan Jennings in the 1st minute.

Tide FC drew blood in the 19th when midfielder Chase Tangney stepped in front of a Kitsap pass near midfield and sent it on to forward Rory Agu.  Agu, dribbling into the box, drew Kitsap goalkeeper Garrett Staples off the line and out of position.  With Staples vulnerable, Agu poked the ball past the sliding keeper to even the score.

Kitsap Pumas players and fans celebrate their retention of the local Narrows Bridge Bell trophy in the derby with Tacoma Tide FC. THe Hellcats are a Pumas supporters group. (Daniel Simpson using Jenni Conner's camera)

 Rory Agu slips the ball past Kitsap goalkeeper Garrett Staples to tie the match 1:1. (David Falk)

“Gerry told me before the game to just – when I get in the 18, just take a breath and just place it, so that’s what I did,” said Agu, Tacoma’s all-time leading scorer.

With the score squared at 1:1 in the 57th minute, Kitsap forward Tye Perdido caught Tacoma goalkeeper Jordan Jennings fighting the sun while trying to decide whether to make a play an incoming loose ball from the left side of the box or to sit back and protect his net.  With Jennings deciding to make a play on the ball, Perdido got close enough to the ball to toe it over the outstretched goalkeeper, placing the ball into the back of the net on one bounce.
 
“The sun’s pretty killer,” said Jennings, who returned to the Tide FC after seeing minutes for Major League Soccer’s Seattle Sounders FC July 18 in a friendly against Celtic FC.  “[Perdido] got behind [defender] Elliot [Morton] and then I got screened a little bit on the sun and I came out to stand big, but he had a good finish.”
 
“They took the chance well,” said Tide FC head coach Gerry Gray.

Kitsap's Tye Perdido rises for the header in early action. (Daniel Simpson)

Kitsap (12-2-2) and Tacoma (9-4-3) traded goals in the 90th minute to up the score to 3:2, when Pumas reserve forward Todd Wallenius and then Tide FC reserve midfielder Dylan Tucker-Ganges inked their first goals of the season.

The crowd at Tacoma's home venue was overwhelming pro-Kitsap as nearly 200 fans traveled over the Bridge to support the playoff-bound Pumas.

This was a well-played but occasionally chippy derby match. There were six yellow cards awarded, including a second to Tacoma's Steve Pirotte that saw him ejected in the 86th minute.

Kitsap Sun: Pumas cap regular season with win

Kitsap Playoff foe decided

The Kitsap Pumas will play the defending PDL Champions Ventura County Fusion in their first playoff match next Saturday July 31 at 5:00 PM in Bremerton. At 1:30 PM in the same venue the Portland Timbers U23's will face the Hollywood United Hitmen. The winners of those two matches will advance to play at 5:00 PM (the next day) August 1st, also at Bremerton Memorial Stadium.

The Fusion knocked the Pumas out of the playoffs in 2009.

Traveling Kitsap supporters are stunned but happy when the Pumas take a 1:0 lead after only 45 seconds on a free kick by Matt Friesen. (David Falk)

Stephen Phillips raises the Bell after the match. (Jenni Conner)