Chances were there, but the Penticton Pinnacles under-21 girls team just didn’t play well enough against Kelowna United.
Playing at Mission 68 field in Kelowna, the Pinnacles were downed 2-0 in their Pacific Coast League Reserve Division match to drop to 3-3-1.
Trailing 1-0 at the half, Pinnacles coach Ray Hintz said his team gave up a goal within the first 10 minutes of the second half after starting well. The victory helped Kelowna United overtake the Pinnacles for the fourth and final playoff berth with nine games remaining.
This weekend the team travels to the Lower Mainland to take on Chilliwack FC and Fraser Valley Action.
“Those are important games,” said Hintz, who will be without five to six players due to injury and work commitments. “We need to play hard and hopefully pick up points.”
While Hintz said not winning isn’t make it or break for the Pinnacles, but will make things more challenging to get into the playoffs.
Defensively the Pinnacles are strong having given up seven goals in as many games. It’s the offence that remains a problem. They have scored seven.
“We have to start burying our chances,” said Hintz.
TSS Academy Black leads the league with a 7-0-1 record, while the Mid Isle Highlanders FC are second at 5-3-1. North Shore Girls Soccer Club Stars are third at 4-2-2.
The men’s team is currently tied with the Abbotsford MF Mariners with 13 points for the last playoff berth, however, the Mariners have two games in hand with a 4-1-1 record. The Pinnacles, 3-1-4, are fresh from a 1-1 tie against West Vancouver FC at Kings Park on June 16. A week before that, they earned a 3-2 win against Mid Isle Highlanders FC on goals by Ezra Cremers, Jeremy Pereira and Randy Hubber. This weekend they host the Mariners on Sunday at Kings Park with kickoff at 2 p.m. The Pinnacles currently have a 3-1-4 record.
