By Chuck Bennett
Nelson Star Staff
It might not have been the result they were hoping for, but the L.V. Rogers senior girls Bombers soccer team couldn’t be too disappointed with its results in its first action of the young season.
The girls travelled to Kelowna Friday and Saturday and finished with two wins and two losses. However, head coach Brett Adams was quick to point out the team only gave up one goal all tournament.
“When you look at it, the girls only conceded one goal and that was a long free kick that was helped into the net by a strong wind,” he said. “In that game the girls were by far the superior side, but just couldn’t find the net. “I am not disappointed in their play or their efforts. To be honest, the girls deserved to win that game, but the field was terrible and we just weren’t able to convert on our many chances.”
The girls opened the tournament on the Friday with a decisive 5-0 win over St. John Brebeuf from Abbotsford. Darian Voisard got the first goal midway through the first half and that seemed to spark the girls offensively. Tara Yowak, Naomi Perkins, Laurel Halleran and Hailee Gerun all scored for LVR.
Emma Gregorich wins this battle in action against Okanagan-Mission. LVR controlled the game, but were unable to score and fell 1-nil. The girls had a strong tournament, however, finishing with two wins and two losses and only conceding one goal in regulation play. Chuck Bennett photo.
Going into the team’s second game, the girls knew they were going to be in for a tough match against the tournament hosts Kelowna Owls. The Owls were ranked No. 8 in AAA in the province heading into the weekend. And the game did not disappoint. Kelowna carried more of the play, but Bombers stayed with its game plan and were able to battle the hosts to a nil-nil draw.
“This was by far the most exciting game of the tournament for us,” said assistant coach Mike Gerun.
Despite the lack of goals, there was no lack of opportunities. Kelowna hit the post on a first-half penalty shot after it looked like they were going to take the early lead. Kelowna hit two more bars along the way. LVR’s confidence, however, grew as the game went along. Jenna Wheeldon just about gave the visitors the lead when her free kick struck the cross-bar. Another huge play came from Grade 9 keeper Hanna Guinn, who stopped a point blank Owl shot from less than six yards to preserve her clean sheet. The game went straight to penalty shots and unfortunately for the LVR side, Kelowna won 4-2.
That loss meant the best LVR could finish was fifth. The girls took on Kamloops in their opening match on Saturday. In another game they controlled, it wasn’t until Emma Wheeldon found the net midway through the second-half that LVR was able to take the lead. Taylor Zimmer gave the team a bit of breathing room late in the match when she followed up her own shot to knock it into the wide-open net.
The fourth and final game was against Okanagan-Mission and despite controlling the entire play of the game, a wind-aided cross in the first half proved to be the only goal of the game and left LVR in sixth place for the tournament.
“I am very happy with what I saw this weekend,” said Adams. “We played very well. We had a couple of injuries, which probably hurt us offensively, so I am pretty confident that we will be a very strong side this season.”