Unbeaten all season in league play, the KSS Owls were favoured to repeat as the Okanagan Valley high school girls AAA soccer champs.
The Mt. Boucherie Bears had other ideas.
Kyleigh Oloriz’s goal in the first half stood up as the winner, as the Bears upset the Owls 1-0 in the valley championship game Wednesday at KSS.
“Overall both teams fought hard for the win and the berth to provincials,” said Bears’ coach Jessica Briker. “It was an exciting match to watch.”
It was Boucherie’s first win over the Owls in three meetings this season.
At 24 minutes, Bears’ co-captain Jessica Skerlec took a free kick just over centre and placed the ball in the 18-yard box. Morgan Hodge and a KSS defender challenged the ball and Oloriz was in the right place at the right time to find the back of of the net for the game’s only goal.
KSS pressed hard for the remainder of the opening half and had several quality scoring chances in the second half but just couldn’t get the equalizer.
“We probably had 15 good chances to score, but just couldn’t finish,” said Owls coach Arnar Bernhardsson. “At times this year we struggled to finish opportunities and it was just one of those days. We felt like we lost a game we shouldn’t have lost. But good for Mt. Boucherie, credit to them.”
The Bears will represent the Okanagan at the B.C. high school 3A girls championship May 30 to June 1 in Vancouver.
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