Kitsap Pumas jump into 2010 with their scoring boots on, pound Yakima Reds 4:0

#8 Matt Friesen, far left, scored two goals on his birthday as the Kitsap Pumas roared past the Yakima Reds 4:0 Saturday night. (David Falk)

Before all of the Pumas fans who traveled could even get through the gate at Marquette Stadium in Yakima on Saturday night the Bremerton boys were already lighting up the scoreboard. With three goals in the first 12 minutes of play the Pumas announced their intention to fight for the single PDL Northwest Division US Open Cup birth as they went on to spank the Yakima Reds 4:0 in the Sun City.

The US Open Cup awards a berth to the American PDL NW Club that has the most points after four matches played in the regular season. Kitsap starts with three and has matches remaining in Spokane next Saturday, and at home May 15 and 22 againt Tacoma Tide FC and Washington Crossfire, respectively.

Players recently featured in interviews right here on Seattle Soccer Examiner were active participants in the early goals. Matt Friesen scored twice, Robby Christner once, and Stephen Phillips and Cameron Hepple notches assists. Versatile defender Jason Cascio added Kitsap's final goal late on.

Needless to say Pumas fans had a great time in Yakima, despite the roaring wind and lousy, bumpy pitch. Kitsap comes away from the match in good shape, though Tye Perdido got a knock and was taken out late in the match. The Kitsap Sun quotes head coach Peter Fewing as saying Perdido's knock is not serious.

Collage: Hellcats in the Yakima area. From the match, to the Teapot Dome in Zillah, to around Sun City, Pumas fans wore the club colors and enjoyed supporting the team away from home. (David Falk)

 Video: First three Pumas goals and interview with two-goal scorer and Birthday boy Matt Friesen:

Yakima Herald Match report and photo gallery

Yakima Reds Examiner match report

Kitsap Sun match report

Pumas' match report

YAKIMA, Wash. – On his 24th-birthday, Matt Friesen scored two goals in the first twelve minutes of play as the Kitsap Pumas defeated the Yakima Reds 4-0 on a cold Saturday night at Marquette Stadium. It was the season opener for both teams.

Friesen's first tally came off a pass from Robby Christner that the Yakima defense felt had gone over the right byline - then strangely gave up on the play. But the sideline referee never raised the flag, and Friesen had an easy tap-in for Pumas' first goal of the season.

The Pumas' second score came just three minutes later, when Friesen corralled a pass off his chest, then passed it toward Christner who then sent a rocket from outside the penalty box that caught Yakima goalkeeper Mauricio Sanchez flat footed.

Three minutes later, Cameron Hepple made a back-heel pass which  found a perfectly placed streaking Stephen Phillips, who then sent in a hard cross to the box that missed one Puma player, but Friesen who was able to send in a quick poke past Sanchez. 

 “We were expecting to dictate the game and you hope things go that way, but you never expect to go up 3-0 that fast,” Friesen said.

The Pumas had numerous other chances from then on, as players put in cross after cross into the box, but just couldn't connect on them.

Finallly, in the 81st-minute, defender Jason Cascio, coming hard from the back, took a pass from newly named Pumas captain Nik Besagno off a corner kick, made some quick moves inside the box
and scored.

“We were lucky to get a 3-0 lead and that took a lot of pressure off us,” Cascio said. “I knew we were going to come out firing because it's our first game, but I don't think anyone expected 3-0 that quick.”

Head coach Pete Fewing, who earned his first regular-season win as Pumas coach, said he was happy to see his team score so early. “They were good goals,” he said. Guys were coming into the box - so that was good to see. “I wanted to get a fourth goal,” Fewing continued. “I didn't want to win the first half and tie the second.”

He also said he was glad to see the team overcome the conditions. “It was literally a hard surface to play on, it was windy and it's not necessarily big, so I thought we did a good job of playing and defending.” he said. “It was a pretty good performance. I almost wanted to say complete, but it's never a complete performance.”

The Pumas travel to Spokane next Saturday to take on the Spiders, then return home May 15 for its home opener against the Tacoma Tide in the Narrows Bridge Bell Derby. Kickoff  is at 7:30 p.m. sharp.