Playoff Soccer: Lake Stevens Blanks Richland 2-0 Behind Noelani Tupua Brace
Vikings to face defending champ Skyline in the 4A State Quarterfinals Saturday on the plateau. Lake lost to the Spartans 2-1 last month in a hard-fought district matchup.
LAKE STEVENS — They got off the bus trailing 1-0.
That’s how it must have felt to the visiting #9 Richland Bombers, who found themselves trailing #8 Lake Stevens by a goal less than 20 seconds into the match — a deficit from which they would never recover.Â
In the end, the Lake Stevens Vikings (16-1-2) defeated the Richland Bombers 2-0 on a cold, blustery and wet night in Lake Stevens, leaving the Vikings just three additional wins away from a title.
Wednesday’s playoff win moves Lake Stevens into the 4A Elite Eight. The Bombers’s season comes to an end after Wednesday’s playoff loss.
The eighth-seed Vikings opened the scoring 21 seconds after the opening whistle, with sophomore forward Noelani Tupua ripping down the left side and uncorking a blistering shot from some thirty yards out, beating the ninth-seeded Bombers’ goal keeper to the far corner.Â
The ball rippled netting before the game’s initial minute was halfway through.Â
The initial goal was all Lake needed to reach the WIAA 4A playoffs’ final eight for the first time since 2018 and just the third time in the 2000’s.
More history is within reach Saturday for the Viks,
more on that momentarily.
Back to the game. So after Noe Tupua punched home the opener, Lake settled in and dominated possession and denied Richland’s route-one long-ball forays into Viking territory.Â
Junior GK Tessa Anastasia kept a clean sheet and senior captain Charli Pugmire battled injury while bossing midfield.Â
But it was once again Lake’s star sophomore who authored the game’s defining plays, putting her stamp on the must-win playoff game as she has throughout the season. Noe would add another goal in the second half, bringing her season total to 21.Â
Bracketology and School History
As a result of the victory, the Vikings are just one win away from matching the school’s best result — Lake’s best season of the millennium resulted in a fourth place finish at State in 2006.Â
Lake can equal or best that with one more win, although it won’t be easy: the Vikings will be at #1 seed and defending State Champion Skyline (17-1-3) this Saturday (Time TBD) after the Spartans took care of business at home Wednesday, dispatching Eisenhower 5-0.Â
Lake Stevens got an early look at Skyline during the District 1 playoffs, with the Viks falling to the champs 2-1, after Skyline’s all-state forward Rhen Erickson scored off a breakaway in the second half.
Skyline has lost just once this year, to Woodinville, and that’s a loss they’ve already avenged while winning the WesKing district tourney.Â
However, Lake Stevens wasn’t outclassed or intimidated by the Spartans and both sides must be aware that any result is possible with a trip to the State Quarterfinals on the line.Â
And for the Vikings, a win against Skyline Saturday would remove the top seed and defending champion from the chess board, giving Lake a clear two-game runway towards winning the 4A State title - the first in the school’s history.Â
This article will be updated when game time information is provided.Â
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