It was a program-best finish for the Credo Christian Kodiaks senior girls soccer team as they won the bronze medal over the weekend in Fort St. James.
The Kodiaks — the Fraser Valley champions, also a first in school history — defeated the Langley Christian Lightning 1-0 in the third-place game at the B.C. 1A senior girls provincial soccer championships.
The lone goal came midway through the first half.
Jaylene Stam sent a hard cross into the box which Hannah Allison tried to chest in. The keeper made the save but couldn’t control the rebound and Nicoline Bos tapped in the loose ball for her first goal of the season.
And that would be more than enough offence as the Kodiaks did not surrender a single goal in five matches.
The team’s lone loss came in the semifinals against the eventual champion Immaculata Mustangs, who won their fourth consecutive championship.
The game included a couple of huge saves by Credo goalkeeper Katy Togeretz, who twice stopped the Mustangs’ Kate Johnson — the tournament’s Golden Boot winner with nine goals in four games — on breakaways.
But Immaculata would prevail 6-5 in a 10-round shootout.
In Credo’s other games, they beat Lakes District 7-0, topped Nakusp 4-0 and edged Osoyoos 1-0 to win their pool.
Langley Christian won their pool by defeating St. Andrew’s and Similkameen by 1-0 scores and then 3-0 over Fernie. In the semifinals, they lost 2-1 in overtime to Southridge.
•••
Togeretz was named one of the top three keepers at the tournament while her teammate, Leanne Tams and Langley Christian’s Rebecca Chadney were named to the Commissioner’s 11.
