It was the feature game of the week in the North Okanagan Women’s Soccer Association Masters Division Tuesday night at Marshall Field #3, with the front-running Chick Kickers up against the Controllers.
The Controllers needed success to stay in the race for top spot overall and they delivered an exciting 3-2 victory, moving to within two points of the Kickers.
Both teams had to start with 10 players and the Chick Kickers opened with a goal in the seventh minute as Jen Sorochuck took a great cross from Mel Jacobs and went in all alone with keeper Charlene Johnson having no chance.
A minute later, Jen Currie equalized for the Controllers when Ang Durfeld and Leslie Epp worked a give-and-go with Epp’s cross finding Currie, who left-footed it back across, fooling the keeper.
Colline Johnson then scored on a penalty kick, awarded after Jodi Pope tripped a Kicker just inside the 18. Johnson went down early in the second half with a knee injury giving the Chicks nine players to finish the game.
“Full marks to referee Nick Pantaleo for conferring with his assistant and making the right call just inside the 18,” said Controller midfielder Jacquie Nuyens.
Tied 2-2 at the half, Controller keeper Mickey Templeton made a great diving save from a hard drive at the top of the 18. Felicia O’Gorman’s corner kick went to Krista Backer, who settled the ball and laid it back to Val Percy, who went roof daddy to put the Controllers in front.
With less than 10 minutes remaining, Sorochuk went in alone on a breakaway looking to tie the game. She deked Templeton, who made a tremendous save, diving backward and grabbing the ball with one arm.
The back line of Percy, Pope and Brandi Hunter had there hands full as the Chick Kickers mounted a strong attack. Currie and Templeton shared the honors as the Bellini Lady of the Match.
The Controllers went to 12-3-2, while the Chick Kickers dipped to 13-2-1 with three weeks left in the schedule.
After a month of vacation, it took Goplen’s Drillers’ leading scorer Lena Urquhart just four minutes to post her first of three goals on the night Tuesday in a 6-4 win over Seasons Sista’s at Marshall Field #1.
Urquhart took a perfect through ball from midfielder Nancy Nickoli and calmly put the ball high over the keeper’s head for her first goal.
Geri O’Brien recorded the first of her two goals at 17 minutes when Michelle Loxam put the ball into the 18-yard box, and it rebounded off the keeper to O’Brien.
Five minutes later, Michelle Connolly sent a through ball to O’Brien who buried a great high shot. At 35 minutes, Claudia Cull fed Urquhart, with the ball going to the keeper who was unable to control the ball and Urquhart intercepted and converted.
Just one minute later, midfielder Aggie Golosinski sent a sweet through ball to the speedy Cull who ran onto the ball, beat the keeper and put in a superb left-footed shot into the far corner.
The Drillers were up 5-0 at the half and got one more goal from Urquhart 10 minutes into the second half. Urquhart and Loxam worked an excellent give-and-go for Urquhart’s hat trick goal.
It was the Drillers’ best offensive result this season. Defenders Tracey Hill, Kylah Bryde, Jodi Peshko, Karen Zupp and Robyn Sherwood were solid on the back line, while midfielders playing excellent two-way games included Caylee Secretan, Maura McCarthy, and Karinda McGaw. Keeper Shaun Nickoli made several great saves to preserve the 4-12-1 Driller win.
The 0-16-1 Sista’s played defensively for most of the first half, but were unable to show results for the few chances they did drum up. However, things did turn around in the second half as Kim Sylvester received a beauty pass from Sacha Schenker, beating defenders and passing it neatly inside the left post, just past Nickoli.
Shortly after, the roadrunner Sylvester once again worked around a few defenders to catch a feed from Andrea Zubot and drill a shot from outside the 18 into the far right corner.
Midway through the half, Sylvester delivered a corner to Kateri Mills in front of the net. Mills had a shot ricochet off a defender to the feet of Schenker, who threaded the needle through defence, offence, keeper and passersby for her first of the night.
Strategic play by Mills and Zubot from a corner eventually had Zubot dump it in front of the net to Schenker who once again converted a smart shot.
Defensive props go to Sherry Wiebe and Juanita Garner. The two Wendys – Horner and Kowalchuk – worked some nice give-and-goes. Deb Whitling had a turn up front and caused some chaos for the Drillers’ defence while Lelsey Williams worked hard in the middle.
Newbie Darlene Toews made several great passes, showing grit and growth in her play. Keeper Suzyn August never lost heart after the first half, keeping the Sista’s competitive with some great saves.
Impact rub out Rosters
Myra McEwan supplied four goals as the Longhorn Impact ambushed Rosters 8-1 at Marshall Field #2.
Nancy Nichols (2), Kim Weibe and Heather Findlay rounded out the Impact (12-2-2) offence.
The Longhorn girls utilized the whole team in different positions to mix things up, and Janelle Smithson was stellar with awesome crosses into the box feeding the tricky McEwan.
Nichols was instrumental in the midfield trapping the opposing goal kicks and sending the ball back in for Findlay, who tapped the ball in nicely.
McEwan walked in two goals, Weibe beat keeper Gennie-May Deines on a one-on-one, waiting patiently for May-Deines to commit before chipping it over her head.
TED stops United
Second-place TED United brushed back Vernon Liquor Store North Okanagan United 3-1 at Marshall #3.
An own goal from the NOU defence started things off for TED, who had to work hard for any attacks.
Darlene Weiss was on the top of her game shutting down the TED offence and even stopping a penalty kick, awarded after a takedown in the 18. The second TED goal came off a breakaway.
TED went up 3-0 after a shot to the crossbar above Darlene’s head was assisted into the net by another NOU defender in her attempt to knock it free.
NOU answered back with dignity and precision as the ball was sent up the sidelines to the ever-ready Sue Barss, who calmly crossed the ball to the front of the six-yard line, catching a bit of Lena Dean before being buried by the strong and skilled Sarah Kwantes.
Wendy Stevens chased her birthday goal but settled for setting up some attacks with her calm manner. Awesome quick-fire moves were turned in by Tania Willett and Teresa Collins, who were always first to the ball with aggressive steals, showing their strength and no-nonsense attitudes. NOU hosts their 21-team co-ed tournament this weekend.
Outlaws snuff Blazers
In Division 1 play Tuesday night, the Little Tex Outlaws doubled the AF Blazers 4-2 at Marshall #5.
After taking the first 10 minutes to warm up with her shots hitting the crossbar or going wide, Monica Neilson found her groove and scored her first goal off a cross from Anita Rae, heading the ball past the keeper.
Neilson’s next goal was on a breakaway off a through ball from Kira Lee.
Jasmine Whitling scored a beautiful long shot that sailed high over the keeper’s hands.
Elaine Huisken scored the last goal after a scramble in the 18-yard box she beat the defender and neatly put the ball in the net.
Huisken had a great game with many good runs up the side and some gorgeous crosses.
Kira Lee used Blazer keeper Katie Hatten for shooting practice with several shots on net without finding the net.
The 7-6-2 Outlaws’ defence was solid all night, keeping Blazer scoring chances to a minimum and making many good runs.
Lisa Stewart was tireless in the midfield, while Stephanie Contin and Whitling had great games in the middle.
The Blazers allowed three quick goals to start the game while waiting for their two key defenders to arrive late from work. In the 20th minute, Blazer striker Marjorie Boisvert crashed the Little Tex net, knocking in a rebound off a Bryanna Cole shot. Minutes later, Caleeda Ross put the Blazers within one with a rocket from 45 yards, putting it over the head of the Little Tex keeper. Shantell Hayhurst earned the assist.
Little Tex responded to take a 4-2 lead to end the half. The second half saw a scoreless battle. Forwards Krista Ference, Kailee Streichert and Carissa Morneau ran tirelessly getting several quality scoring chances. Blazer defenders Amber Maltman, Jeanette Maleska and Jessica Brewis had stellar performances. Hatten made several tough saves to keep the Blazers close.
