The Charles Hays Secondary School girls’ soccer team might be wondering if they will ever get a decision in their soccer games, after playing to two draws on the weekend in Terrace, bringing the season total to four in as many games.
Only 14 players made the trip — down from 24 at home last week — and it was quickly down to 13 due to an injury in the first game. Nevertheless, the Rainmakers held their own in a 0-0 draw with Hazelton and a 2-2 draw with Haida Gwaii.
Starting against Hazelton, the CHSS squad needed some in-game changes after all the players were bunched up in drives up the field.
“Through continued talking, the players began to spread out so that on many occasion, they were able to put together a number of passes to move the ball up,” said head coach Mike Cavin.
Despite the improvements, Hazelton’s defence was stingy and stopped the threats. On the flip side, Rupert goalkeepers Kaiya Storey and Mantej Padda anticipated the opposition threats and kept the ball out of their net.
Cavin said Alexi Armstrong and Delaney Hebert were a strong presence in the middle of the field and were relied upon to break up plays and then distribute the ball to the forwards.
In the second game, the Rainmakers took on Haida Gwaii, and all four goals were scored in an eventful first half. Emily Mair scored for CHSS before Haida Gwaii tied it up. Hebert then scored to give Rupert a 2-1 lead, but Haida Gwaii tied it on a penalty kick.
“During this game, like the last, the girls would turn broken plays to their advantage by passing to their open teammates who would continue moving the ball up the field in a similar manner,” Cavin said.
The Rainmakers had other scoring opportunities, but to no avail. The search for the first win — or even first loss — of the season will continue next week when the girls travel to Hazelton.
