Recap: Five matches shake up the EPLWA

Spokane players react as their side scored a thrilling win with 2 goals in the final moments on Sunday at South Sound. (Gerald Barnhart)

Week three of play in the Evergreen Premier League saw five matches that have changed the landscape of the early 2016 campaign.

On Saturday South Sound FC shut out Wenatchee FC 3-0. In Yakima the Hoppers and Seattle Stars played to a 1-1 draw in steady rain at Marquette Stadium. In Bremerton the Spokane Shadow won their first match of the year, 3-0 over the Olympic Force.

On Sunday Vancouver Victory beat Bellingham United 2-0 and Spokane made a miracle comeback to gut South Sound 3-2.

South Sound 3-0 Wenatchee FC

Luke Broz, Pierre Vargas and JJ Schmeck scored for the Shock (2-1-0) in their win over Wenatchee (1-2-0) (read club recap here). Evan Munn recorded the shutout as South Sound earned their second win of the season.

Then it rained: Yakima and Seattle before kickoff. (Tracie Fowler)

Yakima United 1-1 Seattle Stars FC

Hoppers (0-1-2) all-time leading scorer Hector Valdovinos failed to convert a first-half penalty kick and both clubs exchanged goals in the second half of a soggy 1-1 draw. (Read Yakima Herald recap here.) Yakima’s goal came from Ramon Ayala. Seattle (0-2-1) answered with a strike from Ramon Ramos.

Olympic Force 0-3 Spokane Shadow

A brace from Fernando Alvarez and a single from Michael Malloy were enough for the Shadow (1-1-1) to finish off the Force (1-2-0) for a 3-0 win in Bremerton. (Read a Shadow match report here.) Tony Watters notched the shutout in goal for Spokane.

Arne Niermann got the clean sheet as Vancouver rose to the top of the table. (Nathan Goddard)

Vancouver 2-0 Bellingham United

Jesse Martin and Erick Urzua scored second half goals as Vancouver (3-0-0) took over top spot in the EPLWA with a big win over Bellingham United (2-1-0.) (Read goalWA.net match report here.) Arne Niermann got the clean sheet for the Victory.

South Sound 2-3 Spokane Shadow

The top two clubs in the first two seasons of the Evergreen Premier League met on Sunday in Lakewood and produced a thriller. The Shock (2-2-0) fell behind on a goal by Drew Williams before coming back to take a 2-1 lead on scores from Cody Crook and JJ Schmeck. Shadow (2-1-1) goalkeeper Tony Watters saved a 75th minute penalty kick try by Schmeck, setting up an unbelievable finish. Joel Duncan drew the Shadow level in the 89th minute and then Fernando Alvarez scored the winner in stoppage time. 3-2, Shadow. (Read Shadow match report here.)

The Shadow had plenty to smile about this weekend as they swept two matches and jumped up to second place in the table. (Gerald Barnhart)