A hot goalkeeper may have cost the St. Thomas More Knights a shot at gold at the B.C. high school AA girls’ soccer championships in Penticton.
The Knights had the better of the play against Lambrick Park in the crossover match, but struggled to get a ball past the Victoria netminder, falling 1-0 on penalty kicks to the eventual provincial runner-up.
"It shouldn't have been, but their goalie played unbelievably," said STM coach Doug Corbett. "I think we played the nicest soccer. No one could move the ball like we did."
The Knights went on to claim the bronze medal following a 3-2 victory over Nanaimo District in another shootout in the consolation final.
Alessia Mastromonaco and Carly Cody got the goals in regulation time for the Knights.
STM topped Pool B with a 3-0 record, opening the tournament with a 2-1 win over Duchess Park from Prince George and then a 3-1 victory over Valleyview from Kamloops.
Kassia Hayek and Stephanie von Riedemann scored in the tournament-opening win. Cody, Hayek and Mastromonaco all talied in the win over Valleyview.
The Knights ensured themselves of a top-four finish on Friday with a 1-0 win over Sands on the game-winning goal by Maryn Lum-Tong.
STM’s fifth-year senior Bridgette Ferrara was named to the commissioner’s XI.
"I told the girls at the beginning of the year they had the talent to win it this year," said Corbett. "We were hoping for a banner but we can live with a third."
Princess Margaret won the championship final 3-2 over Lambrick Park.
Jessie Olfert of Princess Margaret was named the tournament MVP, while Lambrick’s Emma Entzminger earned the Golden Boot with 10 goals.
