North Sound SeaWolves Shut Out in Final Home Game of Season

Despite a dynamic effort by goal keeper Claudio Lazar, the North Sound SeaWolves were unable to keep up with the Seattle Sounders U-23's attack, losing 5-0 Friday at Edmonds Stadium.

The loss, the fifth in the past six games for the SeaWolves (4-8), came in the final home match of the Premier Development League season for the club. North Sound finishes the season with four games on the road. The Sounders improved to 7-2-3.

Lazar, who had missed North Sound's previous two games, was outstanding, making several difficult and athletic saves to keep the game competitive. At one point Lazar turned away three shots in one sequence, including two while he was sprawled on the ground.

But Lazar's effort wasn't enough as the Sounders' attack was relentless against a SeaWolves defense that has struggled all season.

"Those were amazing saves," SeaWolves coach Alex Silva said. "He's a fantastic keeper who makes phenomenal saves like that. The goals weren't his fault, that was a team issue."

The Sounders, who defeated the SeaWolves 3-0 on June 10, wasted little time taking control Friday. In the third minute, Jamael Cox crossed to an on-running Sean Morris who headed a powerful finish into the goal for a 1-0 lead.

In the 33rd minute, the Sounders made it 2-0 when Sean Okoli, who had repeatedly been turned away by Lazar, beat the keeper one-on-one to the far post.

"We weren't marking enough and were giving them too much space," Silva said. "Each time we got the ball, they squeezed in on us. We weren't doing that and let them be creative. We made it too easy for them."

The second half brought three more goals: a 53rd-minute penalty kick by Aodhan Quinn; an 84th-minute goal by Darwin Jones; and a goal one minute later by Esteban Potenciano. The SeaWolves had only two real scoring chances, both by forward Abdul Aman.

In the first half his breakaway one-on-one chance with Sounders' keeper Doug Herrick went wide, and a hard, low shot in the second half was handled by Herrick.

"They're a solid team," Silva said. "Every ball in the air they won. They made it very hard on us when we got the ball. Those are players you'll see at the pro level and for us, the energy just wasn't there."

The SeaWolves will try to finish the season on the road. Their next match is at 3 p.m. Sunday at defending PDL champion Kitsap Pumas.