Hard-luck Bombers finish ninth at AA Soccer Provincials
By The Nelson Daily Sports
Soccer Quest coaching staff was “extremely proud” of the Bomber team as L.V. Rogers concluded the 2014 high school round ball season with a ninth-place finish at the B.C. High School AA Girl’s Soccer Championships in Penticton.
Host Princess Margaret, a team LVR suffered a narrow 3-2 loss to during round robin play, won the tournament by edging Victoria’s Lambrick Park 3-2 in the title game Saturday.
LVR finished the tournament with a 3-1-1 record.
“I was extremely proud of the way the girls played through the entire season and really enjoyed coaching them this year,” said skipper Jamie Spendlove.
“(The girls) were a little dissappointed to finish so far from the top, especailly when we should have beaten the champions in the second game.”
“Tournaments are funny that way though and not always the best team wins.”
After posting a single point during Day one of the 16-team tournament — LVR tied Mark Isfeld of Comox 3-3 before losing to Princess Margaret 3-2 — the Bombers defeated Smithers 1-0. Jena Wheeldon scored on a penalty to give LVR the only goal the Kootenay squad would need.
The win pulled LVR into a tie with Mark Isfeld for second spot in Pool C.
The Bombers, however, lost in a shootout tie breaker, dropping LVR to the ninth-12th pool.
Against Crofton House of Vancouver, the Bombers cruised to a 3-0 win.
Goalscorers were Allie Zondervan, Wheeldon and Noa Butterfield. Goalkeeper Keegan Paterson was the MVP for her second shutout of the day.
In final game of the tournament against Sands of Vancouver, LVR came out flat and were down 1-0 five minutes into the game.
The half seemed to drag on before LVR tied the game at 1-1.
However, Sands regained the lead seconds later.
“We didn’t have a very good half and deserved to be behind,” Spendlove explained.
LVR was able to rally as game MVP Naomi Perkins scored her second and third goals of the game to register the 3-2 victory.
“We only lose three players next year though through graduation . . . captain Erica Augsten is on a soccer scholarship to Lethbridge while goalkeeper Keegan Paterson and another defender Calena Marchand are also off to university next year as well,” Spendlove said.
So LVR will have the bulk of the squad back for a shot at the 2015 tournament title.
