They are getting closer.

Year by year, match by match, the Coupeville High School soccer team is getting more competitive against the elite programs of the state.

The Wolves lost to defending state 1A champion Klahowya 2-0 Saturday, Oct. 17, in a match that Coupeville held its own.

Last season, Coupeville posted its best record in school history (6-7), earned its best conference finish (second) and qualified for the district tournament for the first time.

The Wolves also lost one-sided matches to Klahowya twice, 4-0 and 5-0. They fell to 1B state champion Crosspoint 7-1. This fall, Crosspoint edged the Wolves 4-3.

Saturday’s match with league-leading Klahowya (2-0, 8-3-1) was another step up the competitive ladder, according to coach Troy Cowan.

Klahowya held a slight edge in possession and took twice as many shots, but the Wolves weren’t out-matched. They just didn’t take advantage of their scoring chances, Cowan said.

“It’s frustrating; we had lots of opportunities,” Cowan said. “We just struggle with pressure on our offensive third.

“We are really young, so when we get to where we can score, we just get anxious and rush — especially when playing a team of this magnitude.”

The Eagles scored eight minutes into the match when they punched in a rebound off a 30-yard free kick.

Coupeville produced an excellent opportunity to equal the score midway through the first period off a shot by Kalia Littlejohn. The shot was blocked, as was May Rose’s follow-up attempt.

Early in the second half, Klahowya struck again on a break-away up the left sideline.

The Wolves produced eight shots in the second half but couldn’t connect.

With 26 minutes left in the match, Coupeville had a flurry of shots in one possession as the ball bounced around the goal mouth before it was cleared.

With 13 minutes remaining, Jennifer Spark’s long free kick was headed by Littlejohn over a defender to her sister Mia Littlejohn. Mia Littlejohn attacked the goal but her shot just missed.

The Wolves will get another chance to defeat Klahowya when the teams meet in Silverdale Oct. 26.

Tuesday, Oct. 20, Coupeville (1-1, 3-5-3) has a 6 p.m. match at Port Townsend (0-2, 0-8-2). The next home match is 4 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 22, with Chimacum (1-1, 3-9).

(Left, Taichen Rose tosses a throw-in for the Wolves. Below, Kalia Littlejohn dribbles on the attack. Photos by John Fisken.)