Cold driving rain and a wet pitch threatened to ground the Storm at Qualicum Beach Rec Fields Saturday and the first-year side had to keep their composure in a 1-1 tie against the North Island Riptide in Vancouver Island Premier League U14 Girls soccer action.
The Upper Island Storm, which pencils in seven locals on the roster of 15, went into the game sitting second in their standings while the Riptide were fourth.
“For sure,” Storm assistant coach John Lee answered quickly if the weather levelled the playing field. “The girls were slowed down considerably by the weather.”
The two sides shouldered on through a scoreless first half — the visitors opened the scoring five minutes into the second.
“It was an unfortunate bounce off one of their players — I don’t believe they got a shot on goal other than that, which wasn’t actually a shot,” said Lee.
Industrious striker Alyssa Mousseau scored the Storm’s lone goal about 10 minutes later when she slotted it low near post from inside the 18.
Eleven of the players on the U14 side are U13’s, making for a young side — most of the girls on the team are 12, with four 13 year olds.
“They’ve really clicked; this is the first year they’ve all come together from three different clubs,” explained Lee, adding “socially they get along great, and the soccer is coming along.”
Saturday marked the midway point of the league’s inaugural season. The tie puts the Storm at 3-1-2 and still sitting second in the five-team VIPL U14 Division.
IN OTHER STORM news, the U15 Girls had a bye and the U15 Boys lost 3-1 to Bays United at Merle Logan Fields Saturday, while the U14 Boys were blanked 3-nil by Upper Island in QB on Sunday.
GAME ON
The U14 Girls Storm face the first place Saanich Fusion at Merle Logan Turf Fields in Nanaimo Saturday at 11 a.m.