The Vernon United Vikettes posted a pair of victories in Thompson Okanagan Under 12 Girls Rep Soccer League at McArthur Island Sports Centre Sunday in Kamloops
The Vikettes tamed the Kelowna Animals 2-0 after stunning Penticton Pinnacles in a 3-2 comeback.
From the opening kick, Penticton took the play to Vernon. Facing an early breakaway, keeper Jayda Hatch kicked out her right foot to deny the striker in white. The Vikettes escaped the first half only down by one, and then came out soaring in the second half with Olivia Henderson lashing balls at the Pinnacle net.
After Penticton countered for a 2-0 lead, the Vikettes intensified their barrage. Fullback Jennie Pereboom stoked the attack with on-the-mark passes to the wingers. Twelve minutes from time, Vernon was finally rewarded, as Rylee Mairs hit a bomb from just inside halfway that ducked under the bar.
With three to play, Sophia Winstanley stripped a Pinnacle of the ball and popped it into the box for Holly Magnus, who got loose and evened the score with a whomp to the keeper’s right.
In the waning moments, Jasmine Soon chipped the ball past a defender, chased it down near the endline, and crossed to Magnus for the winner.
“Proud of them for not giving up and fighting back,” said Vernon coach Rob Cesario.
The coach called the follow-up win against Kelowna “our most disciplined, best defensive game of the year.”
The rotating back line of Cooke, Hatch, Mairs, Pereboom, and Soon was all but impenetrable. Sophie Challen dominated the midfield, orchestrating both Vikette goals. In the first half, she laid a perfectly weighted ball for breaking striker Lauren Cooke, who ripped it into the left side of the net.
In the second, Challen shook a defender with a deadly crossover move, and then dispensed a gorgeous lead pass for Chloe Lu to poke through the keeper’s legs. Aimee Glasser posted the clean sheet.
The United U13s battled the host Kamloops Blaze Orange to a scoreless draw Saturday before losing 3-2 to the Shuswap Selects Sunday at MacDonald Park.
Adelynne Heyes delivered a beauty cross to Jordyn Clarke for the first goal Sunday with Mackenna Doyle converting off a fantastic run down the middle.
Vernon’s best chance came off an Anna Hirschkorn corner in the second half when Paige Cover redirected the cross, but the post denied them the lead. With only seconds left, Vernon put the ball into the back of the net, but the goal was called back due to the ball having left the field of play prior to the cross. Ashley Befus recorded the shutout, while Kirsten Brown and Chelsea Sladen were noted for their strong play in the midfield.
Tori Maltman took the Warrior Belt for dynamite defence.
Jordyn Clarke opened the scoring against the Selects in the second minute after Emery Medwedew flicked on a Hirschkorn corner. Clarke volleyed the ball into the top left corner to give Vernon the lead.
Shuswap replied shortly later and then took the lead minutes after the start of the second half. Makenna Doyle evened the score with 10 minutes left when she converted a Hirschkorn cross. However, Vernon was denied a tie when they were caught on a counter attack.
Abby Lawlor earned the Warrior Belt, while Heyes was noted for her strong runs down the flank.
The United Tolko Coldstream Lumber U14s went in shorthanded and fell 1-0 to Kelowna United L Saturday.
Jessi Cleverley, Brooklyn Kineshanko and Skylee Sigurdson-Poirier applied multiple shots on goal, while Emma Glasser and Allie Maltman worked hard on defence to keep the game even.
Keeper Jordyn Kisilevich made some stellar saves with Kelowna converting in the dying minutes.
The Lumber gang then bowed 1-0 to another Kelowna squad which stunned Vernon with a quick goal seconds after the kick-off.
The Tolko defensive line launched into action with Paige Maleska and Mia Maltman jumping in to help Vernon keeper Kisilevich during an intense series of shots by Kelowna. Glasser, Maltman, Mya Robinson, and Nadia Nelson-Shah did an excellent job of constantly feeding the ball upfield.
Up front, Sigurdson-Poirier, Cleverley and Kineshanko got off some beauty shots, but were robbed by the keeper.