It didn’t end the way they planned.
But the experience proved better than imagined.
The members of Team B.C.’s midget girls
lacrosse team ventured to Calgary with a medal in mind and returned with silver after getting edged 7-5 by Ontario in the final.
“It was a fantastic experience, and the girls from New Westminster in particular really rose to the challenge,” remarked midget head coach Blair Bradley.
Over seven games, the squad established its credentials as finalists, including beating Ontario 3-1 on the opening day. The New West players – Hannah Bernoe, Graceyn Dean, Jessica Soenen and netminder Jenna Phillips – each took turns in playing pivotal roles in the run to the final.
In the final showdown with Ontario, B.C. broke out to a 3-1 lead after 20 minutes and were up 4-3 after two period before the favoured easterners found a way to turn the tables, scoring four goals in the third period.
“We got off to a very good start but I don’t know what happened,” remarked Phillips. “Ontario was very quick. It was disappointing.”
She added that the whole tournament was an amazing experience.
“It was totally memorable. This is an amazing group of girls I won’t forget,” she said. “It was like a family.”
Phillips split the netminding duties with PoCo’s Megan Morris, racking up three wins in the process. In a pair of wins over Alberta, which saw B.C. post 6-3 and 7-4 decisions, Hannah Bernoe counted a natural hat trick, while Dean scored twice and set up another in the other game.
Bernoe deposited two goals and an assist in a 10-1 victory over Nova Scotia, while Soenen scored and Dean contributed three assists.
In their other encounter with the Maritime champions, Bernoe cashed in twice while Dean added a goal and Phillips registered the shutout in a 7-0 win.
“Dean was our captain and she was the perfect quiet leader,” said Bradley. “She just went out and did it, leading by example. (Soenen) was a utility player who played hard at both ends of the floor, was the one who really settled first into the system we implemented.
“As a first-year midget player, (Bernoe) was a real sparkplug who led our team in goals. And Phillips was just incredible, a great team player who gave us the netminding we needed.”
Bradley also commended New West native Shianne Lowka, the team’s alternate, who practiced and remained ready to play but just didn’t get the opportunity.
“(Lowka) is a great kid, a real team-first person who was there through it all.”
B.C.’s female bantam team also secured silver, falling 4-1 to Ontario in the final despite finishing with a 2-5 record.
The lineup included New West’s Laren Black, Avery Dean, Sophie Morris and Sydney Smith, and Burnaby’s Cassie Chan and netminder Jamie Richards.
The club’s two wins in the tournament came against Alberta, 4-2 and 4-3, with Richards between the pipes on both occasions. Black finished the tourney with three assists.
