Cliff Avenue Synergy is hoping its final season together is a memorable one.
The Canadian national under-14 club champions will have one last chance to go out a winner, following a 3-2 shootout win over the Kamloops Blaze in the u-18 girls' championship final at the B.C. Soccer Provincial Cup at Hugh Boyd Park on Sunday.
With the win, Cliff Avenue advances to the Canadian championships in Fredericton, N.B. in October.
"It was a scrappy affair that we just had to grind out," said Synergy head coach Mark Pennington.
Cliff Avenue had to come back on two separate occasions to force overtime against the Blaze.
Game MVP Meagan Pasternak scored the goal of the match with a cracking half volley from 25 yards out to knot the score after Kamloops had taken an early 1-0 advantage in the first half.
Eleni Tolusso then sent the game into extra time in the 70th minute on a free kick after the Blaze had gone ahead for a second time in the match.
Tolusso's flicked on header came off a long throw-in from Emily Ancill.
The best opportunity in overtime came off a Synergy free kick from Samantha Drescher that ricocheted off the post to Teresa Anania, who unsuccessfully attempted to chest the rebound past the Kamloop's keeper.
In the shootout, Ashley Gilmore scored Cliff Avenue's fifth straight goal from the penalty spot.
Synergy keeper Kayla Klim made the game-winning save pushing the ball just past the post on Kamloop's final shot at goal.
"It's a great advertisement for our character and heart to come back twice in a tight game," said Pennington.
Last season, the Synergy were upset in a shootout by Surrey Pegasus in the u-16 Provincial Cup final.
