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Nelson Selects U15 Girls top older competition on way to gold

The Nelson U15 Girls Selects played up in the U16 division and won the gold medal.
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Nelson Selects U15 striker Darian Voissard takes a shot during Sunday's final at the Terry Walgren tournament at Lakeside pitch.

At the 2013 Terry Walgren Memorial tournament in Nelson, the Nelson U15 Girls Selects played up in the U16 division and won the gold medal.

On Friday night, the U15s faced the U16 Nelson Selects. Scoreless through most of the first half, Allie Zondervan scored from distance at the 25 minute mark to open the scoring. That goal would prove to be the only score of the game, giving the U15 squad the 1-0 victory over their older community mates.

Saturday afternoon the U15 squad faced the Columbia Valley U16 side and battled hard to a 2-2 draw. Columbia Valley opened the scoring 20 minutes into the first half, but Nelson answered quickly with a goal from Naomi Perkins three minutes later. Columbia Valley scored a second, but Nelson answered once again with a successful penalty kick from Perkins and the game finished in a tie.

In the final game of round robin play, the U15 squad faced the Kootenay South (Trail/Castlegar/Rossland/Fruitvale) U16 squad. Nelson dominated the game with Zondervan opening the scoring eight minutes after the opening whistle. Later in the first half, Bronwyn Sutherland found the back of the net to bring the score to 2-0 at the half. The score would stand, and the Nelson U15 squad was through to the final.

The Sunday championship once again matched the U15s against their older Nelson competition.

Darian Voisard opened the scoring with a long strike 8:45 in to the game to give the U15 side an early lead. Shortly after, Lakpa Dietz finished another booming shot from Voisard to increase the U15 lead to 2-0. Despite numerous chances on both sides of the pitch, the 2-0 score would stand and the U15 girls took the gold.

"We were impressed by their team’s performance," said coach Pat Perkins. "Anchored by defenders Merissa Dawson, Emma Gregorich, Kyra Burkart, Kali Horner, Alondra Burton and goaltender Haley Cooke, the entire team showed steady improvement throughout the tournament.

“Playing up a division is always difficult. The squad rose to the challenge and as a result were rewarded with the gold medal.Well done!”