By John Leggett | The Courier-Herald

Just like last season, when Sumner High claimed the South Puget Sound League 3A girls soccer title, the Spartans are having their fair share of difficulty manufacturing any offense. But as in many sports it takes the offense awhile to catch up to the defense.

When the Spartans hosted a physical pride of Lions Sept. 29 the outcome was a 1-1 tie. Auburn Mountainview was ahead 1-0 for the majority of the contest until with five minutes remaining Sumner managed the equalizer.

Freshman defender Sarah Carter, who had been knocked to the ground, was awarded a direct kick. She booted it toward the Lion goal, it bounced off one of their players and landed in front of senior forward Kaylee Holloway, who blasted it in for the score.

Thursday, when Sumner trekked to Enumclaw for a rare day game on the Hornets’ natural grass surface, it was more of the same. The final outcome was a scoreless tie, which didn’t count as a league match and left Sumner’s record at 0-0-1 in league and at 4-1-3 overall.

Neither team got off many shots as the defenses carried the day, but Sumner got even fewer shots than EHS.

“I think we were frustrating their forwards,” said Enumclaw coach Sean Tobius, “because every time they would get something going we would disrupt it by stealing the ball or kicking it out of bounds.”

Sumner coach Robi Turley couldn’t blame the grass field.

“This is the best shape I have ever seen this field in,” she said. “Normally we have trouble because the grass is a bit longer and it slows everything down compared our turf at Sunset Chev, but today they had it cut real short.”

Sumner played a nonleague match against Capital Tuesday, with results coming too late to include here; look for the scores at www.courierherald.com. Thursday, the Spartans return to Enumclaw for a rematch with the Hornets and this time it will count as a league game. Sumner will host Franklin Pierce Tuesday at Sunset Chev Stadium in another league battle.