The Denny’s Quesnel Strikers U15 girls are zone champions after playing outstanding soccer on the weekend.
“We had good ball movement, short passes on the ground and some great goaltending,” Strikers coach Iain Brown said.
The Strikers earned the zone title with a convincing 6-0 win against 100 Mile House, after playing to a 0-0 tie Saturday morning against Prince George.
To earn the zone title, the Strikers had to at least beat 100 Mile by five goals to get into a tie-breaker with Prince George, or score six goals to win the title outright.
“It was the most exciting game of the season,” Brown said.
“The whole team played an amazing game.
“They had a mission and they delivered.”
Goal scorers for the Quesnel Strikers included Kaylee Ditto with two goals and Emmalee Pitcher, Naomi Hunt, Mackenzie Sameit and Anika Ortner each with a single goal.
The win puts the U15 Strikers girls into the provincial championships slated for July 7 – 10 in 100 Mile House.
The win against 100 Mile Saturday afternoon followed on the heels of an impressive game Saturday morning against Prince George.
Neither team had faced each other during the outdoor season and Prince George proved to be a more physical team than the Strikers, but Brown was pleased with the way his players held their own against the bigger players.
Although neither team scored in what turned out to be a game of cat and mouse, with both teams emphasizing ball control, there were scoring opportunities especially in the second half of the game, but both teams were very strong on the ball to foil great opportunities and some shots missed their mark.
“Both teams were willing to stop the ball at any cost,” Brown said.
Before the provincial championships in July, the U15 Strikers girls are in action this weekend for the Cariboo Soccer League finals at the soccer facilities on Anderson Drive. During the July long weekend the U16 girls are in Kelowna for a tournament.
After the provincial tournament, the U15 girls lace up for the annual Gold Pan Tournament during Billy Barker Days.