Cruisers Shine on Senior Night and Show Resilience on the Road

The Eatonville Cruiser girls soccer team powered through one of their busiest and most competitive weeks of the season, posting two decisive home wins before splitting a pair of road matches to close out the stretch.

Eatonville's senior players Ruth Lightfoot, Lily Lightfoot, Linnea Lofgren, Manager Lev Huliselan, and Roxy McFadden posed for a photo during the Senior Night ceremony prior to their match against Franklin Pierce. Photo credit: Jessie Campbell

The Cruisers opened the week in dominant fashion Monday night with a 7–0 victory over Clover Park, continuing their winning streak and showing off their best form of the season. Eatonville controlled the match from start to finish, moving the ball crisply and maintaining relentless offensive pressure.

Linnea Lofgren got the scoring started in the 20th minute off an assist from Makenzie Ball, and Ball followed with a goal of her own eight minutes later with help from Kalli Olsen. Olsen added to the tally in the 37th minute on a setup from Lofgren, giving the Cruisers a commanding 3–0 lead at halftime.

The offense stayed hot in the second half. Addison Johnson struck early in the 45th minute, followed by a pair of goals from Ryleigh Chopic in the 60th and 69th minutes, both showing Eatonville’s sharp attacking play. Olsen capped the night with her second goal in the 72nd minute, assisted by Chopic, sealing the 7–0 win.

Goalkeeper Savannah McCandless posted the clean sheet, needing just one save behind a rock-solid defense. It was a full-team performance that highlighted the Cruisers’ chemistry and depth as they rolled to another convincing victory.

The next night, the Cruisers carried that same energy into Senior Night, celebrating with a 2–0 win over Franklin Pierce. The evening honored Eatonville’s senior class and their leadership, and the team rose to the occasion.

After a scoreless first half despite six shots on goal, Eatonville finally broke through in the 60th minute when Chopic finished off a setup from Maddie Berube. Tagen Amaral added insurance in the 78th minute with a well-placed strike to seal the result.

McCandless stayed sharp in goal, making three saves in each half to secure her third straight shutout. The win capped off a memorable night for the seniors, who were celebrated by teammates and fans alike.

Eatonville’s momentum was tested the following evening in a tough road rematch with Franklin Pierce. Despite strong play and another composed effort, the Cruisers fell 2–1, ending their win streak.

Franklin Pierce opened the scoring in the 21st minute, but Eatonville answered quickly as Kate Lindquist leveled the match in the 29th minute with a long-range strike from outside the box, assisted by Toryn Amaral.

The second half was tightly contested, but Franklin Pierce capitalized in the 60th minute to retake the lead. McCandless was outstanding once again, recording 12 saves — six in each half — to keep the Cruisers within reach.

Despite the setback, Eatonville’s poise and competitive edge were evident in the hard-fought loss.

The Cruisers closed out their busy week Friday at Cardinal Stadium against rival Orting. Looking to avenge an earlier loss, Eatonville battled throughout but came up just short in another 2–1 defeat.

The Cruisers will wrap up their regular season Tuesday, Oct. 28, when they travel to face the Steilacoom Sentinels at Blair Taylor Field.