The Peter Skene Ogden Secondary School senior girls’ soccer team took eighth place at a 16-team tournament in Hope this past weekend. If not for some injuries and bad luck the Eagles could have finished much higher, according to Eagles coach Sean Glanville.
“I was really pleased with how the girls competed in their first tournament of the season. Due to the lousy weather we only practiced outdoors once but they looked pretty good,” he said. “The teams were so close together we could have easily medaled at the tourney were it not for being on the wrong end of the shootout with Hope.”
The Eagles finished undefeated on the opening day with two wins and two draws in their four games. They downed Kaslo 2-0 in their first contest. Sydni Poggenpohl opened the scoring and Ashley Holyk added the second goal for the Eagles. Rene Van Osch picked up the shutout in goal.
In game two, PSO tied hosts Hope Secondary 1-1. After trailing 1-0 at the half on an unfortunate penalty shot goal the Eagles scored seconds after the second half kick off. Abbey Foote scored on a gorgeous long sailing shot over the goalkeepers head to tie things up 1-1. The game would be decided by a shootout which Hope would win. Both Hope and 100 Mile would finish the round robin portion in Pool A with two wins and a draw but because Hope won the shootout they would play for the first to fourth spots while the Eagles dropped to the fifth to eight playoffs.
In game three the Eagles downed A.L. Fortune Secondary from Enderby 1-0 on a goal from Ashley Holyk after a beautiful set up from Foote. Van Osch picked up her second shutout of the tournament.
In Friday’s fourth and final game the Eagles tied Mount Sentinel 1-1 but fell in their second consecutive shootout.
On Saturday the Eagles were in a tough spot as two of their top players in Ashley Holyk and Maddy Marten were unable to play. Despite their absences, the girls gave a great effort but dropped their final two games by 2-0 scores to both Pender Harbour and Abbotsford Christian to take eighth spot overall.
The Eagles defensive four of Valeria Martinez, Marina Guimond, Ali Walker and Nicole Varney played extremely well all weekend. Other Eagles players who made solid contributions all weekend included Ivy Sahara, Olivia Poggenpohl, Stephanie Hilstad, Amy Baechmann, and Lauren Popadinak.
Van Osch and Martinez were named the Eagles’ two MVP’s for the tournament.
“We have no experienced goalkeeper on the squad so Rene [Van Osch] stepped up and took on that responsibility when nobody else would and did a great job,” said Glanville. “Valeria [Martinez] has turned into an extremely talented defender and really reads the play the well. She’s so defensively conscious I don’t think I’ve ever seen her cross the centre line.”
Eagles’ goalkeeper the past three seasons, Chantelle Walters, has taken on an assistant coach role and will try and help Van Osch develop her skills at the position.
The Eagles are currently on a four-day exhibition trip to Victoria which began on Wednesday and will see them play Hope Secondary, followed by a trip across the water to play Parkland and Glenlyon Norfolk Secondary both from Victoria area and finish with contests versus Whistler and Lillooet Secondary on their way home.
The girls will also be hosting a fundraiser carwash by donation on Thursday, April 26 from noon to 6 p.m. at Exeter Valley Truck and Car Wash.
