SEATTLE — Harry Shipp’s season has not gone how he probably hoped it would. At one point, he went about two-and-a-half months without playing. After May 27, he started twice in a 20-game span. Through it all, head coach Brian Schmetzer repeatedly sung his Shipp’s ability to continue working hard in training and help in any way he could.
As the season wore toward the end, though, Shipp saw an increase in minutes. He even started both games of the Western Conference semifinals.
His appearance in Thursday’s Western Conference final was as a late sub with the Sounders already holding a 4-0 aggregate-goal lead. He wasn’t about to let it go to waste.
As soon as Shipp had an opportunity to make an impact, he did just that, putting in Will Bruin for the match’s final goal with a perfectly weighted ball that he hit with the outside of his right boot.
Look at Bruin turn on the jets and flyyyyyy away. pic.twitter.com/vpDJJjWdwZ
— Sounder At Heart (@sounderatheart) December 1, 2017
Passes simply don’t get better than that. The weighting, the timing, the bend all just work perfectly. Bruin is in a dead sprint and never has to break stride.
While the goal may have been largely inconsequential, it had to feel good for Shipp. It was actually Shipp’s second assist of this postseason, one more than he had during the regular season. He also went 14-for-14 passing.
It’s entirely possible that Shipp might not play in the MLS Cup final, which is more of a testament to the Sounders’ depth than any sort of knock on him. But if the Sounders need something — whether it’s an offensive spark or someone who can be trusted with a lead — Shipp is proving capable of providing it.