Soccer Game Preview: Mercer Island vs. Kent-Meridian

The Mercer Island Islanders will take on the Kent-Meridian Royals at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Mercer Island's last four matchups have been decided by no more than a goal, so don't be surprised if it's a close one.

While Mercer Island's victory against Bellevue wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. The Islanders sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 3-2 win over the Wolverines last Tuesday. That's two games straight that Mercer Island have won by just one goal.

Meanwhile, it's playoff time, and Kent-Meridian had no trouble coming through when it counted. While the 1-1 score might suggest a draw, it was the Royals who were credited with the victory on Tuesday. Kent-Meridian got it done in the shootout by posting four goals to Ballard's two. The win was familiar territory for Kent-Meridian, who have now won three contests in a row.

Mercer Island has been performing incredibly well recently as they've won four of their last five games. That's provided a nice bump to their 9-3-3 record this season. Those victories came thanks in part to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they scored 13 goals over those five matches. As for Kent-Meridian, their win bumped their record up to 11-4-7.