In a thrilling, back-and-forth rivalry matchup, Mercer Island Girls Soccer fell short in overtime to Bellevue, 2-1, Thursday, March 18.
With three minutes remaining in the first half, the Islanders established a 1-0 lead after sophomore Mia Shanafelt juked out the Bellevue goalie for a score.
Even though Mercer Island held on to their lead for the majority of the second half, Bellevue gained momentum after a controversial penalty call late in the game, which gave them an opportunity to tie the score with a penalty kick and ultimately emerge victorious in overtime.
“I think we played great, as a senior I’m just really excited [because] I feel like this is a great team,” goalie Maddy McElroy said. “It sucks obviously that we didn’t get the win, but this is the best game we have played so far and there is a lot to build on from here.”
The game-changing penalty was called on McElroy after she collided with another player when trying to secure the ball. The penalty was met with an assortment of boos from the crowd.
“I feel like we were both going for the ball and neither of us got it,” McElroy said. “I don’t think it was a penalty at all.”
Despite the dramatic finish and some offensive struggles, McElroy and the Islanders found success on defense, particularly when Bellevue was in scoring range.
“I think defensively we looked much stronger today,” McElroy said. “Winning balls in the air is where we struggled a little bit today, and we struggled with possession, but I think [we had] effort and heart.”
While students were not allowed into the stadium due to COVID-19 restrictions, a group of Islander fans lined up against the fence on the north side of the field to cheer on the home team.
“I’m so glad that they [were] here,” McElroy said. “Even though they can’t be in the stands, it means a lot that they came and I think it definitely helps make it feel like a home game in a normal season for us.”
While the Islanders are no longer undefeated, they will seek to take revenge in a rematch with Bellevue scheduled later this season.
