Kitsap Pumas surrender first league goal but still win, 4:1

Mark Lee (left) and Robby Christner (right) begin an attack for the Kitsap Pumas against the Abbotsford Mariners. (David Falk)

I suppose the Kitsap Pumas' 2010 PDL shutout string hand to end sometime. The hoops had scored 14 goals in league play without an answer for the opponent until the Abbotsford Mariners scored in the second half Saturday night at Bremerton Memorial Stadium. The Pumas answered back with two more goals of their own and beat the Canadians 4:1. Kitsap has now outscored the enemy 16:1 in five wins that raise their record to 5-0-0.

Daniel Scott, Robbie Christner, David Gray and Matt Friesen tallied goals for the first-place Pumas, but coach Peter Fewing said the club was uncharacteristically sloppy at times.

“We didn’t play like we can play,” Fewing said. “I thought we were the better team, but that doesn’t matter in this game.” The match had several stretches where the Pumas didn't control the ball or the pace, and there were also times when the supposedly out-manned Mariners ran easily through the Pumas defense, or took advantage of sloppy clearances.

Scott became the third Kitsap defender in as many games to score a goal within the first five minutes when he found the net in the 5th off an assist from Nik Besagno. Besagno sent a touch pass to Scott, who blasted a right-footed shot just under the crossbar from about 10 yards out to give the Pumas a lead they never relinquished.

“I was very fortunate to get a clean hit on it,” Scott said of his first goal of the season. “As a defender it’s always kind of a dream to get forward and score on a set piece.” Scott had at least two other excellent scoring chances during the match, at one point drawing smiles when he reacted like a striker with disappointment at a near miss.

Cameron Hepple takes flight on the wing for the Pumas. Dan Scott looks on in back. (David Falk)

Puma striker Robbie Christner made it 2-0 in the 33rd-minute.It was his third goal of the season.

Abbotsford (0-2-1) cut the lead in half three minutes after halftime with a goal by James Riehl. That ended a 363-minute shutout streak for goalkeeper Dustyn Brim, who was tested more tonight than he had been all season.

Scott said the defense took pride in the streak and was disappointed it ended, but he was happy with the end result.

“I always tell the guys that goals are earned in the first 10 minutes and last 10 minutes of every game,” Scott said.

David Gray watches his deflection goal roll slowly into the back of the Abbotsford net as the Kitsap Pumas Elite erupt behind. (Jenni Conner)

Gray, meanwhile, who came off the bench and scored his first goal of the season in a 2-0 win last week, made it 3-1 in the 57th-minute when he got behind Abbotsford goalkeeper Lucas Menz and blocked a clearance with his chest, directing the ball into a wide-open net.

Moments later Gray was denied another tally by a diving fingertip save by Menz off a blistering 20 yard shot that grazed the inside of the far post - only to come back  out.

Gray was later voted "Man of the Match by the Hellcats and given a goodie bag of gifts.

“I feel great,” said Gray, who replaced John Fishbaugher in the starting lineup for his first start of the season and also tallied an assist. “It feels good to play a full 90 minutes.”

Added Fewing: “You can’t keep him out, he’s a terrific player. He’s a hardworking, blue-collar kind of player. He’s a competitor.”

Second-year player Matt Friesen closed out the scoring with a penalty kick in stoppage time after Tye Perdido was taken down in the box.

Friesen is tied for the club lead in goals with three, despite the fact he has come off the bench all season nearly all season.

“I was really happy we converted that penalty kick,” Fewing said. So were the Kitsap Pumas Elite, a supporters group that stands behind the opponent goal and heckles the visiting goalkeeper for 90+ minutes. They erupted in joy as Friesen's pk goal bulged the net directly in front of them.

The Pumas are on the road the next two weeks, visiting the Portland Timbers U23 June 5 and Abbotsford June 13

The club awaits details on it's opening round U.S. Open Cup match to be played tentatively June 15, 16 or 17th. The opponent and venue are yet to be determined following other qualifying matches underway tonight.

The Kitsap Pumas contributed to this report.

Blue and white banners cover the endline seats as Dan Scott (center) watches the Abbotsford attacker. (David Falk)