Provincial glory goes to a sudden-death shootout for the Oak Bay High School girls’ lacrosse team.
“It was a good game for the team,” coach Meena Sran said. “The girls played hard and especially dominated in the second half.”
The final match against Handsworth Secondary in Surrey on 11 November ended in a draw at the end of regular time.
Last year, they beat the same North Vancouver team in a shootout to win the provincial title.
This year, it was tied 2-2 again after five shots each thanks to goals from Maia Lawrence and Irene Morillas and a goalkeeper from Anais Chace.
“This resulted in a sudden death shootout situation and a heartbreaking loss,” Slan said.
The team earned a silver medal after hard work and a BC AAA Hockey Fair Play Award.
“It’s very rare to win this award, and even rarer to have a team win it and make it to the final,” Slan said.
Winners are chosen by referees by voting after each game. Evaluate team interactions with opponents and referees, and how teams perform and interact with each other, including coach behavior.
“We’re incredibly proud of this team. It’s a huge feat to reach the Finals two years in a row, and the team has changed so dramatically from last season to this season,” Slan said.
The team reached the provincial finals with four victories, beating Coquitlam Centennial 1-0 with a goal from Leighton Graham-McMullan and then 1-0 at Erie in Vancouver with a goal from Lawrence K Hamber.
They beat Southern Delta 3-0 in the quarter-finals thanks to goals from Monet Thurbid, Maddie Hunt and Helen Leshock. The semi-final victory was thanks to a single goal by Maryn Unger to beat Vancouver’s Churchill 1-0.
Slan explained that the team started the season with seven returning players, most of whom were in different positions than last season.
The roster features a new coach, manager and nine players, including five international students.
The team worked hard and seemed to freeze quickly. Only a week into school and after two practice sessions, the girls finished second in the Friendship Cup. They then topped the John Ferreira Championship before winning the Island Championship over Cowichan Secondary.
Christine Van Riveck
@blackpress.ca
Oak Bay High