UPDATED: Nelson U18 Selects shoot for gold at Provincial B Cup
By The Nelson Daily Sports
Nelson U18 Selects are playing for gold medal after finishing the round robin draw off at the BC Soccer Provincial B Cup Saturday in Surrey with a 1-1 against Vancouver Football Club.
Stellar goalkeeping by Hanna Quinn and a goal by Mattea Lorenzo powered Nelson to the thrilling tie.
Vancouver opened the scoring four minutes into the contest despite Nelson controlling the play.
The Selects tied the game before halftime after after a nice through ball by Emma Wheeldon to Taylor Zimmer who puts it off the post with a nice shot. Lorenzo was able to pounce on the loose ball to score Nelson’s only marker.
Both teams took turns controlling the play in the second half with the Nelson defence, including Quinn, comimg up big to secure the single point.
Quinn made two timely saves, one with 10 minutes left.
Nelson, finishing in a tie with Vancouver, each with seven points, meets Penticton or Prince George in the final. Game time is 2 p.m. Nelson edge out the Lower Mainland squad on goal differential, keyed by a 5-0 victory over Burnaby Friday.
Zimmer and Shianne Michalchuk paced the attack for Nelson with a pair of goals. Wheeldon added a single.
Selects open with wins over SurDel, Terrace at Provincial B Cup; U13 Boys win in Vernon
The Nelson Selects kicked off the BC Soccer Provincial B Cup in grand style Thursday, outlasting the host SurDel squad 3-1 in the opening round of the U18 Girls Championships Thursday in Surrey.
Grace Dehnel and Shianne Michalchuk with a pair scored to lead the Kootenay Reps to the victory.
Nelson, a combined squad from the 2016 Provincial B U16 Girls Champs and the Silver Medal U18 squad from the Heritage City, now meets Burnaby Girls Impact Friday at 11 a.m. The Impact lost 1-0 to VUFC Wolfpack.
The Selects opened the scoring 27 minutes into the game when the SurDel goalie collided with Nelson striker Taylor Zimmer. The ball hit the goal post following the collision. The keeper was handed a yellow card before Dehnel calmly stepped up to deposit the free kick into the net.
Nelson increased the lead to 2-0 when the play appeared to stop. Michalchuk continued on, dribbling the ball through the defence before scoring in the net.
The Selects made it 3-0 when Emma Wheeldon sent Michalchuk in on a nice pace the Nelson player was able to deposit into the net.
In other Nelson action in Surrey, the U13 Selects shutout Terrace 2-0 while the U16 squad lost to Prince George Timberwolves 3-1.
Nelson U16 squad meets Coquitlam Metro Ford while the U13s play Bays United.
The top teams in each pool of four teams advances to the Gold Medal Game Sunday.
Meanwhile, in Vernon, the U13 Boy’s scored a 2-1 victory over Terrace to open the Les Sinnott Memorial Provincial B Cup Thursday in Vernon.
Berend Platje, on a great pass from Tavish Cutler, netted the winner for Nelson at the 30-minute mark of the first half.
Milo Klein also scored for Nelson while Noah Ens was solid between the pipes for the Selects.
Terrace scored its only goal on a penalty kick. Nelson controlled most of the game, outshooting Terrace 23-5.
Next up for Nelson is a game this afternoon at 5 p.m. against South Burnaby Spartans.
