CC Spokane Bigfoot stomp on Bellevue, 4-1 and 3-0

A pair of three-goal victories gave the Bigfoot plenty to celebrate | Photos: Gerald Barnhart

The Sasquatch looked more like Swiftfoot Saturday afternoon as they flew past the visiting Bellevue College Bulldogs at the Spokane Falls CC Stadium. After trailing from an early strike, the ladies rebounded with three quick goals in the second half en route to a 4-1 victory while the men used an early goal from midfield two minutes in to take command in a 3-0 win.

Bellevue College 1 :: 4 CC Spokane - WOMEN

The West Division’s second-place Bulldog women took the early lead when Tatum Ross fired a shot from about 17 yards out in the middle of the box that was over the keeper’s reach in the 12th minute.

Despite having most of the possession and better movement, the Bigfoot were unable to find any good looks at goal aside from a chance in the 23rd minute. Tasha Luu (Colville, WA) got the ball about 23 yards out, turned and dribbled around a defender who had a fist full of jersey before firing a shot from about 10 yards that forced the keeper to push the ball over the bar.

Kat Tsoukalas, CC Spokane

“Soccer is a funny sport where the better team does not always win - you give up a goal like that on one mistake,” Spokane head coach Jim Martinson said on trailing most of the first half.

Spokane wasted no time in the second finding opportunities and capitalizing. In the very first minute a build-up through the middle of the park led to the equalizer when a ball from Kat Tsoukalas (Kennewick, WA) headed toward Lateashea Currie was picked up instead by the unmarked Luu who turned and fired easily past the keeper from about 12 yards.

The Sasquatch wasted no time adding another to take the lead less than three minutes later. Spokane took the ball into the box, but as it appeared a defender on the left side was going to take possession, Tsoukalas came charging in from the side, picking her pocket as she took her first touch. The winger took a touch into open space and finished from the middle of the box.

“Yeah it was nice; they could not have come out and scored at a better time – that first minute,” Martinson said of the quick start. “And then to get another one two minutes later is perfect. We’ve been dealing with a lot of stuff with this team with injuries and they’ve been down a little bit. It’s nice to see them smile and have some fun today.”

Tasha Luu, CC Spokane (Gallery)

Luu doubled the lead in the 57th minute when Currie played a square ball to her just inside the area. She drove about five yard uncontested before picking out the open right side of the goal from about nine yards.

“We had to figure out how we were going to press, when we were going to press. We got going at the end of the first half where our girl up top, Tasha, is dropped too far in the midfield and we’re pressing with one. We just got them together and pressing together, and working together better. It was not any magic; we knew we were the better team in the first half and the goals would come. We just had to play more together. We were getting too separated – a minor adjustment really.”

Five minutes later Spokane capped the night on a corner kick. The visiting keeper rose to catch the ball just off the line, but mishandled it, allowing Rainey Pelzel to knock it in from about a yard out.

On Wednesday, the ladies cruised to a 4-2 win against visiting Columbia Basin, jumping out to a three-goal lead in the first half hour. Scoring Summary – SPO: Jamie Krediet (Lateashea Currie) 7, Tasha Luu 19, Kat Tsoukalas (Tasha Luu) 27, Kat Tsoukalas (Morgan Mueller) 42… CBC: Chandra Stevenson 28, 53 

Travis Hill, CC Spokane (Gallery)

Bellevue College 0 :: 3 CC Spokane – MEN

Center back Travis Hill (Spokane, WA) set the tone less than two minutes in when he may have taken advantage of a rare moment of sunlight on an overcast afternoon, launching a shot from the half line that dropped into the upper right corner over the reach of the keeper.

“Travis has definitely been a great addition for us this year. He red-shirted last year for medical, a knee injury,” said Spokane head coach Kenny Krestian. “We are just really excited with the presence he brings – strong in the air, can hit a ball 60 yards. Little fortunate in that first goal, but the way he plays and leads the back, he’s just solid for us.”

The stunning strike was followed up by continuous offensive pressure from the Bigfoot, who had several more chances in the next 15 minutes that forced the visiting keeper to make some reaction saves.

Spokane finally broke through with five minutes left in the half with another long ball, this time on a 45-yard free kick on the far right flank from Yems Rosas-Santos (Wenatchee, WA). The ball into the box found the head of Isaac Peter (Spokane, WA), who rose above the defense nod it home.

Isaac Peter, CC Spokane (Wednesday Gallery)

“Isaac is on a goal-scoring stretch right now, which we’ve been working with him for two years to get him there, and finally he’s got his confidence and scoring goals. He’s so quick that he can beat you on the ground and he’s tall and he can jump, and he can beat you in the air also.”

The Sasquatch continued to control the second half with Bellevue having only one quality chance for a rally. In the 72nd minute David Lovas fired a shot from about 30 yards that was headed to the right post, but Bridger Peres was there to make the stop.

With two minutes left, a corner led to a goal from Cesar Arroyo (Brewster, WA) at the far post.

On Wednesday, the Bigfoot played a back-and-forth contest with Columbia Basin, holding onto a one-goal lead provided by Peter Isaac nine minutes in when he received the ball from Zach Allert (Spokane, WA) behind the defense and cut across the box before slotting it past the keeper. 

-