The TORL U16AA Force have booked a spot in the Canadian Ringette Championships next month in London, ON.
The Force, consisting of Kelowna, Vernon and Salmon Arm players, earned a trip to nationals after securing the B.C. U16AA title last weekend.
The TORL squad prevailed against the Lower Mainland reps two games to one in the best-of-three B.C. final at the Capital News Centre.
On Saturday morning, Kelowna's Emilly Elsom scored a hat-trick and Lake Country's Kayt Meraw added a single as the Force won the series opener 5-3.
In the afternoon, the Lower Mainland squad rebounded with a 5-4 win in overtime. Kelowna's Delayney Gregory scored twice in the defeat.
In the deciding game for gold on Sunday, the TORL girls came to play and posted a convincing 9-4 win.
Meraw paced the attacks with two goals and two assists, Brooklyn Keller had goal, while Hailey McRae and Elsom each added an assist in the series clincher.
Kelowna's Georgia Gregory, the Force’s keeper, made quality and timely saves to keep the game out of reach throughout.
"The Force dominated the tilt, with all players making key defensive contributions to keep the Lower Mainland squad penned up in their own end," said Force coach Warren Carter.
Six Central Okanagan players are on the TORL squad—Kate Meraw, Georgia and Delainey Gregory, Brooklyn Keller, Hailey McRae and Emily Elsom.
Force coach Warren Carter expects his team to be ready take on the challenge of nationals, April 3 to 9.
"Getting to nationals was our aim all season long,” said Carter. “It will be one heck of an experience for these 14 dedicated individuals. We know several of the teams that we’ll face and they are very strong, we should be in the hunt to compete and we’re really looking forward to the challenge."