The Cariboo United U15 girls broke the ice with authority last weekend, while the U13 Cariboo United found their initial tournament a bit harder than expected.
The U15 United beat teams from across B.C. in the U15/U16 division of the Kelowna ice breaker tournament, taking gold in their first tournament of the year.
“The U15 girls played phenomenally well, hence the gold medal,” coach Gilbert Schotel said.
The U13 faced some problems in their first steps in a new field size; U12 teams play eight versus eight, while the U15 teams play 11 versus 11.
“All in all, these girls played really well. All the other team had experience playing 11 on 11,” Schotel, who also coached the U13 team said.
The Okanagan/Mission Heat were the first to fall to Cariboo United.
Kyra Teetzen took the lone point in the game, taking United to a 1-0 victory and setting the path for the strong United team.
Cariboo United faced the U16 Tswwassen Tornadoes in their second game of the tournament, taking the game, once again, on the strength of a single goal, this time off the chest of Melissa Styran.
Cariboo United played Kelowna United to a united score, a 0-0 tie through regulation time.
Hailey Schotel, the team’s keeper, was outstanding in net, said coach Schotel, keeping the Cariboo in the game through regular time.
The game went to penalty kicks, with Schotel keeping Kelowna down and Jadyn Legere, Michell Redpath and Brittany Grob scoring for the Cariboo side to take the game.
With three wins under their collective belts, Cariboo United found themselves in the final, reprising their game against the Heat.
Two minutes into the game Redpath scored a very nice goal for United. Eight minutes later, the Heat came back to tie the game.
Action went back and forth through the rest of the game, coach Schotel said, but neither team was able to make anything happen before the whistle blew, forcing the game into penalty kicks.
Legere, Redpath, Grob and Kyra Teetzen each fired off a goal during penalty kicks, which was enough to take the win and the gold medal.
The U13 girls were not as strong breaking into new territory.
United started their season against the Okanagan Cheetahs, playing to a tie in regulation time, but losing in penalty kicks.
United met a very experienced Vernon United in their second game, going down 6-0 in a tough loss.
Despite the stumble, the team regrouped and met the Kamloops Blaze goal for goal, with each team grabbing one of each in regulation time, with United’s coming off the cleat of Shelby Powell.
Cassidy Geisbrecht, Aleesha Bautista, Shelby Powell and Kalisse Sales scored in penalty kicks to take the game.
Keeper Ashley Carter was phenomenal in net during both regulation time and for the penalty kicks, Schotel said.
United faced their last game against the Delta Wanderers, falling 5-0.
Team tournament MVP’s were awarded to Kalisse Sales (U13 team) and Emily Blagdon (U15 team).
Both U15 and U13 teams featured girls from around the Cariboo; Williams Lake, Prince George, Quesnel and 100 Mile House; with a strong contingent coming via Quesnel.
Coaching was likewise sourced from around the Cariboo, with Quesnel’s Gilbert Schotel coaching both the U15 and U13 girls and Scott Redpath and David Blagdon, both from P.G. and Beth Moore, from Williams Lake assistant coaches for the U15 team and Rebecca Harnden assistant coach for the U13 team.
