Hazen knocks out short-handed Puyallup in 4A state soccer tournament quarterfinal
Hazen handed a hobbled Puyallup boys soccer team a 2-1 loss in a Class 4A state quarterfinal match Saturday.
Western Washington University-bound Vikings leading scorer Zack Robertson saw only limited playing time because of an Achilles injury and second leading scorer Curran Caufield sat out the action with a hamstring problem.
Homestanding Puyallup still played the Highlanders tough, however.
'I'm proud of how well the team pulled together,' said Vikings head coach Matthew White. 'We could have played dead, but we didn't. They did well to do the best they could in a tough situation.'
Puyallup finished with a 16-3-1 record, while Hazen of Renton carries a 19-1-1 mark into a 7 p.m. Friday semifinal back at Sparks Stadium.
'I think we have a big chance of winning,' said Hazen senior Vitaly Polyukh, who punched in his team's first goal 14 minutes into the match. 'We have a good super strong team right now.'
'Hazen has a good team, so credit goes to them,' White said.
Robertson got in just enough to tie the action at 1-1 in the 44th minute with his 30th goal of the season.
He was limited to 15 minutes the first half and 15 minutes the second.
'He made the most of it,' White said. 'I'm surprised our trainer let him play at all.'
Robertson and his teammates left saddened by the loss and he also had his injury to deal with.
'It's not too bad, but it could be better,' Robertson said.
The Highlanders took their 2-1 lead on an own goal off a Kai Hirano corner kick at the 54:45 mark, then held on for the win.
Puyallup put the pressure on at the end, coming up empty on two corner kick opportunities in the closing minute.
'It was a great season,' White said. 'It's a fantastic bunch of kids.'
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