Grit and determination made it possible for the girls to come back twice to beat Rutland in overtime in the Jewels first playoff game May 8.
Salmon Arm’s defence was unbeatable with Holly Nickles covering one of Rutland’s biggest threats. Nickles never left her side to shut down her offence.
Rutland scored first leaving the Jewels to fight back. A scrabble in front of the net ended with Maia McLellan able to put one in for the home team.
Tied at the second half, it was a battle back and forth as Conner Turner made several amazing saves to retain the tie and send the game into a 15-minute overtime.
Within minutes, Rutland was taken down in the Salmon Arm box and scored on a penalty shot to make it 2-1.
Soon after, Libby Olsen was able to score to tie it up once again.
With three minutes left in overtime and after two killer saves from Conner Turner, Olsen received a pass from Kai Mair. Olsen cracked a shot which hit the post and rebounded back to her, allowing her to skillfully place it in the back of the net to end the game at a score of 3-2.
The Jewels move forward to the semifinals playing Mt. Boucherie in Kelowna yesterday after presstime.
Shooting to win
The Shuswap Sharp Shooters U11 Girls Development team had another strong performance in Kelowna as they rolled past Penticton and Kamloops W on Sunday.
The first competition of the day was a nail biter against a tough Penticton team. The Pinnacles struck early, but Shuswap responded immediately with Pheobe Barnes throwing the ball in to Jordan King, who flicked the ball in front of the goal to Lys Milne, who scored off a brilliant one-time shot.
Five minutes later, after some fantastic passing in the midfield, King was able to find the back of the net. This eventually proved to be the game winner.
Penticton’s pressure was incessant, but Shuswap’s defence was impressive all day and was able to hold off the attack.
In the second match of the day, The Sharp Shooters blasted Kamloops 5-0. The scoring started early as King shot a bullet past the Kamloops keeper in the first few minutes of play. Ten minutes later, Braidy Parkes powered her way through the Kamloops defence and slotted the ball into the back of the net. After the half, Pheobe Barnes took a beautiful corner kick that found King in front of the net. She finished it off making it 3-0. Laura Hall finished off the scoring with her first two goals of the season. The first was off a free kick from Barnes who passed to Hall who drilled the ball in the back of the net with a beautiful one-time shot. With minutes left in the contest, Hall was able to capitalize again. Julia Hart and Braidy Parkes were stellar in goal all day and recorded their fifth shutout of the season. The Sharp Shooters next play Sunday, May 24 in Salmon Arm.
