Late goal by Enns powers U16 Selects to bronze
By The Nelson Daily Sports
Hanna Enns scored with ten minutes remaining in the game to give the Nelson Selects a 1-0 victory over the Kootenay East Youth Soccer Association Reps from Cranbrook in the consolation final of the U16 Girl’s Division Sunday at the Sam Steele Tournament.
Enns took a pass from fellow striker Kerrin Janssen before curling a shot past the Kootenay East keeper, just inside the far post.
The victory gave the Selects the bronze medal in the Rep Soccer Tournament.
“All in all a great weekend as we played some very impressive soccer,” said U16 coach Justin Willans.
“The midfield of Willans, Bergendahl, Sage Wilton, Rebecca Bracewell, Alex Dehenel, Carilla Horning and Jade Sommers had a very good weekend often stringing together six or seven passes at time and setting the table for the strikers or helping us work our way out of trouble.”
Nelson opened the tournament like the team has done so many times before, dropping the first game to KEYSA by a 1-0 score.
A breakdown in communication led to the Selects starting the game with 10 players.
Nelson persevered thanks to strong play from Abbie Willans and striker Aroha Tatinin-Senschell — both players slotted into the backline until reinforcements arrived.
However, KEYSA took advantaged of the fatigue factor placed on the Select to score the winning marker with 15 minutes remaining.
A KEYSA forward managed to create a loose ball 10 meters from the Nelson net before drilling a low shot that fooled back up keeper Jena Wheeldon.
Nelson rebounded during game two, completely dominating the younger Columbia Valley U15s 3-1.
Willans, back playing in the midfield, opened the scoring 15 minutes into the contest before Katie Bow, the Selects regular keeper now playing forward, and Willans again, completed the scoring for the Selects.
Sunday morning Nelson battled Columbia Valley U16s to a 1-1 tie in a rematch of the Kootenay Provincial B qualifier, won 1-0 by Nelson.
Columbia Valley U16s opened the scoring when Wheeldon was unable to secure a rebound.
Aroha Tatini-Senshell tied the game on a great solo effort.
Picking up a ball inside the Nelson half Tatini-Senshell beat one defender with a slick move and then out sprinted the remaining defenders before drilling a low shot to the far post from 20 meters out that gave the Columbia Valley keeper no chance.
The Selects now take to the training pitch in preparation for representing the zone at the B.C. Soccer Provincial B Cup July 4-7 in North Vancouver.
Nelson advanced, once again, the hard way recently during the qualifying tournament in Cranbrook.
The Selects lost the opener before rallying back for two straight wins — the final a nail-biting 1-0 win over Columbia Valley where Nelson scored in the final minutes of the game to secure the win.
Unfortunately, the Reps must play without the services of defender Kerrin Janssen.
The German exchanged student, who has played with the Selects for the entire season, is heading back to Germany and will miss the provincial tournament.
