Girls Soccer: Kleemeyer's Four Goals Puts Adna in Final Four

TUMWATER — Adna qualified for its third-straight final four appearance in the State 1B/2B Girls Soccer Tournament, disposing of Friday Harbor 5-0 in the first round here on Saturday.

Forward Devanie Kleemeyer had a big day for the Pirates, notching four goals in her team’s 18th victory of the season.

“All week we worked on the fast movement of the ball,” Adna coach Juli Aselton said. “We practiced on turf and in the gym. The ball runs fast in a gym and we worked a lot on control. We knew Friday Harbor packed the middle of the field, so we were prepared to keep the ball on the outside of the field making sideline runs.”

Kleemeyer got started early with a goal in the seventh minute, and that’s how the score would stay in the wet and sloppy conditions. Adna led 1-0 at the break, and just three minutes into the second half, Kleemeyer found the back of the net again.

With the Pirates getting almost all of the scoring opportunities in the game, Kleemeyer made it a hat trick with another goal in the 51st minute. Before the paint had dried on that goal, she notched another to give Adna the commanding 4-0 lead.

“We all worked together as a unit and the ball was always placed right where I could score,” Kleemeyer said after the game. “I definitely couldn’t have had those goals without my team.”

Adna finished with 24 shots, while Friday Harbor had just one. Kenya Lorton, Kendra Stajduhar and Kassidy Thomas all had assists in the game.

“Devanie was on fire but she was correct in saying her teammates did a great job of getting her the ball,” Aselton said. “We’ve been working on Devanie moving around and coming to the ball more.”

There were plenty of Pirates sending volleys at Friday Harbor. Stajduhar, Holli Edminster and Kleemeyer each had seven shots on goal in the game.

“Friday Harbor did a good job of catching us offsides a few times but it also left them weak on breakaways,” Adna coach Julie Aselton said. “We don’t intentionally try to get the ball to one player. We work on finding the open player no matter who it is. Devanie was just able to capitalize on passes.”

Kenya Lorton would score late in the second half for Adna’s final goal, giving the Pirates 98 on the season — with five goals allowed. Saturday’s offensive outburst came despite a steady rain throughout the game.

“I thought our team did well moving around to keep legs warm,” Aselton said. “We were warned that the sidelines on the track were very slippery and to watch the out of bounds line. It's hard for my players not to give there all though and you saw Kate, Kendra and Kenya all slide to try and keep the ball in play. Luckily we stayed injury-free this game.”

It was Adna’s 13th shutout of the season.

“In a game like Friday Harbor, our midfield and defense almost become one,” Aselton said. “The defense pushed up to help the midfield. There is a lot of trust between the defense and they make sure at least one of them is in the right spot to track a pass down from the other team.”

Adna will move on to the state semifinals for the third year in a row, with a Friday matchup against Okanogan at 2 p.m. at Sumner’s Sunset Chev Stadium.

“We are very pumped for state,” Kleemeyer said. “We can’t wait to take on Okanogan.”

Okanogan enters the semifinals with a 17-3 record after going undefeated in Central Washington 2B North League play. The Bulldogs are coming off of a 6-2 win over Warden in the quarterfinals.