Tough loss to bear

Women lose to the Quest Kermodes

By Eric Wilkins, Sports Editor

The women’s soccer team fell 1-0 against Quest on September 28 at Cunnings Field in Coquitlam. The rainy affair left the Royals with a 0-1-10 record heading into Sunday.

“We came out ready to roll today but it just didn’t work for us,” remarked Ashley Dunn.

Decked out in their white kits, the Royals started with the ball and didn’t waste any time going on the attack, with Nicolle Fraser letting a free kick fly at the goal, only to see it nabbed by the Quest keeper a few minutes in. After this, it was Quest’s turn, with a free kick sailing wide just before the 10-minute mark. The 19th minute saw Quest’s Maren Tarleton break through the right side of the Royals’ defence, but Dunn proved equal to the task. Marni McMillan sent a dangerous free kick into the box just past the 20-minute mark for Douglas, but the finish was missing as the effort was headed just over the bar by a Royals’ head. Quest had an opportunity in the 26th minute, but Paige Ayers fired wide after the initial effort was saved by Dunn. Douglas’ relief was short-lived though, as Becky Schile slotted it home on a corner kick a minute later. The next 10 minutes were tightly contested with neither team finding much room until McMillan unleashed a shot from 25 yards out that the Quest keeper just managed to push past the post. The Kermodes finished the half with two attempts on goal, but Dunn came up with saves on both—including the slightest of touches forcing one off the post.

The second half started slow when a loose ball in the Royals box resulted in Tiffany O’Krane having to take a few minutes before limping off the pitch; she later returned to the game. The teams then traded chances as Douglas saw its first effort of the half saved, before Quest watched a searching through-ball easily handled by a charging Dunn. Lindsay Munroe almost got onto the end of a good ball through a minute later for the Royals, but the Kermodes’ keeper beat her by a step. The next 15 minutes saw Quest with a flurry of chances, including a breakaway by Tarleton, but Dunn again stood her ground. The remainder of the half saw Miyoko McKeown, Mia Rushton, McMillan, and Munroe all have opportunities to put the Royals on the board, but none could find the back of the net.

“Our problem’s in the final third, but we all need to push as a team and be behind each other,” commented McKeown.

“We put a solid effort in. We wanted it. We could definitely feel it getting there, but we just couldn’t get it in today,” said Munroe.

Echoing his comments from last week, assistant coach Ivan Estrada noted the team’s recurring troubles: “Today we did everything right, we just didn’t score. We just need to work on our finishing. Defensively we’re winning it, in the midfield we’re collecting ourselves and winning the ball every single time, we’re getting it up front, but at the last second we just don’t bury it.”