By Matt Phelps

While it might be too early for tough exams in the classroom, the Mercer Island High School girls soccer team is facing some of the toughest tests they will get all season.

The Islanders hosted the defending state 3A champion Issaquah Eagles on Tuesday, Sept. 13, after dropping the first two games of the preseason to top-ranked 4A schools.

Islander head coach Bryan Mazza continues to like what he sees out of his team despite the fact the Islanders lost to the Eagles 2-1.

“I think we have played incredibly well so far,” said Mazza. “We were just a little flat in the beginning tonight. We had two major let downs. We just need to wake up.”

Issaquah took advantage of the Islanders slow start with just 1:10 drained from the scoreboard clock. An Issaquah player began her dance through six Mercer Island players from 25 yards out on her way to score the Eagles’ first goal of the game.

The Eagles continued to dominate the ball during the next 10 minutes, but the Islander defense clamped down. Islanders’ goalie Katheryn Meagley had three of her five first-half saves during the first 15 minutes of the game. In all, the Eagles took eight shots-on-goal for the first half to Mercer Island’s two. Issaquah had an advantage on corner kicks, 4-0, during the first half but could not take advantage.

The Islanders made the most of their chances, however. With 20 minutes remaining in the half, Islander Lauren Govier broke away from a mid-field pack of players with the ball. The junior streaked down field with three Eagle defenders in pursuit. As she neared the goal, the keeper came out to defend her territory. Govier took her shot and the goalie came up short as the ball rolled into the back of the Issaquah net for the 1-1 tie.

But the goal would not be enough and Mercer Island started slow again during the second half.

Issaquah dominated the first five minutes of the second-half, taking shot after shot at the Mercer Island goal as each missed its mark or was blocked by inches.

The Islanders finally cleared the ball for the first time in the half, but Issaquah came right back two minutes later. With six players crowding the goal box, a hard shot from an Issaquah player hit the goal post and bounced back to the cheers of Islander fans. But the ricochet fell to the feet of an Eagle player standing at the 20-yard line. Again, a hard shot from behind a gaggle of players went to the back of the Islander net, just out of reach of Meagley.

“We got caught on our heels on those two goals,” said Govier.

The Islanders had their chances to tie. With 8:25 left Nance Hill took a penalty shot that sailed just over the crossbar. One minute later Govier had the exact same situation as when she scored the Islanders’ lone goal but the keepers dive smothered the shot for the save.

“I had more room to get through the first time,” said Govier.

With 3:30 left Hill took another penalty shot, but the subsequent pass was knocked out of bounds.

“(Issaquah) has returned their entire team from last year and we lost our whole defense,” said Hill. “To lose 2-1 at this point in the season is a good sign for us. We have some things to work on but we will be fine. We need to learn to play quicker, safer and smarter.”

Mercer Island earned its first win of the year 1-0 against Newport on Thursday as Islander Alix Michael put a shot at the 55-minute mark in the back of the Newport net.

Mercer Island hosted Bellevue Tuesday (after Reporter deadline) and will travel to Sammamish at 7:30 p.m. tomorrow.