2000 Jun 25
Willamette Valley: Bryan Hill; Eric Wooten, Nick Jensen (Erik Cronkrite 55), Ross Duncan; Jack Wheeler, Paul Willoughby, Jerod Fitzgerald (Fred Kummernes 45), Peter Gail (Scott Tedder 69), Ben Roth; Jason Crevar, Dimitrio Sanchez.
Seattle: Chad Olsen; Billy Sleeth (Jonas Tanzer 91), Andy Smith (Bryn Ritchie 61), Mike Casale; Marc Barros, Rob Schaper, Chris Farnsworth, Mark Hogenhout, Sean Sylvis; Manny Ruiz (Joe Watson 87), Ian Chursky. (Christian VanBloomstein entered for someone.)
The Seattle Sounders Select let a two-goal lead slip away and lost 5-4 after extra time to the Willamette Valley Firebirds in Corvallis, OR. Firebird forward Eric Wooten scored the match-winning golden goal in the 94th minute. The loss ends the Sounders Select's undefeated streak in regular season play.
The Select got on the scoreboard first in the 25th minute. Billy Sleeth had the ball in traffic just right of the penalty area. He gave a short pass to Ruiz who was able to score on an angled shot.
Forward Dimitrio Sanchez started the play that led to the first Firebirds goal in the 31st minute. Sanchez dribbled into the penalty area and moved around several Select players and shot. The shot was saved by Olsen. Olsen could not control the rebound which went to Jason Crevar who was standing inside the goal area. Crevar tapped the ball into the empty net for the tying goal at 1-1.
The Sounders extended their lead to 2-1 in the 39th minute. Mark Hogenhout received a pass on the left side of the midfield area. He dribbled towards the Firebird goal and passed to Manny Ruiz who was streaking into the penalty area. Ruiz ran onto the ball and dribbling towards goal was able to get a good angle on a left-footed shot that beat Hill to the near side for a goal.
The Select took a 3-1 lead in the 69th minute. Select forward Ian Chursky stole the ball from a Firebird defender on the left side, just outside the penalty area. Chursky dribbled alone in on goal, pulling Firebird goalkeeper Bryan Hall off his line to try to cut down the angle. Chursky's first shot was blocked by Hall but Chursky got the rebound and shot and scored just past an outstretched Firebird defender on the goal line.
Willamette made it close by scoring in the 75th minute when Ben Roth converted, assisted by Scott Tedder, trimming the Select lead to 3-2. Tedder stole the ball from a Select defender and dribbled in towards goal. He passed in the penalty area to Ben Roth, who was able to draw Select goalkeeper Chad Olsen out. With Olsen out of goal, Roth moved around, shot and scored into an empty net.
Seattle increased their lead to 4-2 when Robbie Schaper scored off a pass from Billy Sleeth in the 84th minute.
Firebirds forward Jason Crevar scored his second goal of the match in the 88th minute, reducing the lead to 4-3. The Firebirds tied the score in the fifth minute of added time. That goal came on a defensive mistake by Billy Sleeth. Sleeth, trying to clear the ball out of the six-yard goal area, kicked it off of Firebirds forward Scott Tedder. The ball deflected across the goal area to Firebirds midfielder Erik Cronkrite. Cronkrite gave a short pass to midfielder Fred Kummernes who had pushed forward and was open in front of the net. Kummernes slotted into the net for the tying goal.
When Billy Sleeth came out of the game in extra time, the Select had no more field players available and had to put goalkeeper Jonas Tanzer in the match as a field player.
Post Game Quotes - Select Coach Gerry Gray:
This was a disappointing loss. You have to be able to hold the lead
and we were not able to do that, and paid the price. Willamette to their
credit did not give up and played hard the whole game.
Statistics:
| Willamette Valley | Seattle | |
| Shots: | 15 | 13 |
| Saves: | 8 | 6 |
| Corners: | 7 | 6 |
| Fouls: | 6 | 13 |
| Offsides: | 2 | 3 |
Referee: Fred Parish; Asst Refs: Tong Mann, Ed Daniels; 4th Official:
John Pleckl
Attendance: 50