King's girls blank Lakewood, 2-0

By Mark Nelson
For The Enterprise

MARYSVILLE

The transition from a defender to a forward is not always guaranteed to be smooth, but having a mentor like King's senior Hillary Zevenbergen definitely helps expedite the process.

Freshman forward Olivia Baker, Zevenbergen's apprentice in the art of the attack, scored the go-ahead goal for King's in the 52nd minute to help lead the Knights to a 2-0 Cascade Conference win over Lakewood Oct. 8 at Lakewood High School.

Baker started this season in a new area on the pitch, playing up front instead of on the back line, according to King's head coach Nicole Gabelein. But the fleet-footed freshman has utilized her speed and natural ability to quickly adjust to her new role, Gabelein said.

And a little guidance from a dangerous striker like Zevenbergen doesn't hurt.

Gabelein said Zevenbergen has helped Baker learn the position and the senior's imposing presence up front definitely helps create scoring chances.

“She's doing awesome, she's got a lot of speed,” Zevenbergen said, adding that she loves seeing Baker succeed in her new role.

Twelve minutes into the second half, it was a change of tactics and Baker's persistence that opened up the contest.

Baker's first strike from the top of the box deflected off a defender and dropped close enough for her to quickly reach the ball and poke it past oncoming Lakewood goalkeeper Miranda Head to open the scoring.

“We changed things around in the second half that really made a big difference for us,” Gabelein, King's coach since the program's inception four years ago, said. “We started winning more 50-50 balls, earning more throw-ins, we did some key things that really all combined to help us play a little better.

“And then we finally put one in the back of the net,” Gabelein said.

The contest was much different this time around than the teams' first meeting, a Sept. 17 shootout win for Lakewood. In that game King's outshot the Cougars, but couldn't break through. Now with Lakewood at home, it was a different story altogether with the Cougars owning the more dangerous scoring chances.

“I think (Lakewood) is just a really competitive team,” Gabelein said. “It was a different game this time than the first time we played them, they were getting more shots on us and we had to adapt more, they're a great team to play.”

Zevenbergen said that the Knights had to avenge the earlier shootout loss, which created an energetic atmosphere.

“It was really intense,” Zevenbergen said. “There was definitely some spite in there and that got us fired up.”

Zevenbergen added King's second goal one minute from the final whistle when a loose ball fell to her feet in Lakewood's area and she calmly dribbled in from 25 yards out to beat Head.

Lakewood saw a wealth of chances meet the hands of King's keeper Maddy McDevitt, fall just wide or be cleared out by one of King's four stalwart defenders.

Two near-equalizers came in quick succession for Lakewood late in the game. McDevitt stopped a close header in the 75th minute and was able to clear out a loose ball with a number of Cougars players within striking distance in injury time.

“(McDevitt) made some great saves,” Gabelein said. “She's been extremely consistent (this season), I couldn't be happier. She's saved our bacon on a number of occasions.”

The win helped King's leapfrog Lakewood into second place, based on overall points, in the Cascade Conference standings. Archbishop Murphy holds the No. 1 position and Zevenbergen is well aware of that fact.

“Now we've got to beat Archbishop Murphy,” Zevenbergen said.