Loss drops Islanders to 4-1, tie with Forest Ridge

Matt Phelps
Mercer Island Reporter

The battle of the Island teams turned out to be more of a competition for momentum as Bainbridge Island defeated Mercer Island 12-6.

“We played strong for about 40 minutes, but we had a 10-minute lapse and they took advantage.”

Mercer Island began the game with the lead as senior Laura Maruhashi earned a penalty shot and connected five minutes into the game.

Islander sophomore Lauren Ito, from behind the Bainbridge goal, found teammate Victoria Bachman on the opposite side of the goal for the 2-1 lead. But momentum would play a big part in this game. A botched shot by Bainbridge rolled into the Islander goal, under three Mercer Island sticks, to tie the game.

The play would lead to seven unanswered goals as Bainbridge took an 8-2 lead into halftime.

“When they scored multiple times in a row, it really hurt,” said Caroline Mahony, who leads her team in scoring for the season with 23 goals, including two against Bainbridge Island. “I think we know what we have to do to beat them, and we will get them next time.”

The Islanders made a run during the second half, following two scores by the Spartans. Bachman scored first for Mercer Island on a penalty shot. Mahony stole the ball from a Spartan attacker at midfield and then sprinted up field, outrunning three defenders. Mahony would connect at point-blank range and follow the score with a penalty-shot goal. Ito added a sixth goal to close out the scoring during the contest.

Despite the loss, Mercer Island has tallied a record of 4-1 and is tied with Forest Ridge for the best record in the East division.

The only loss for Forest Ridge this season came at the hands of Mercer Island on March 17. The Islanders got six goals from Mahony to take the 11-9 victory.