The Muskie girls’ soccer season came to an end here Saturday with a 3-2 loss to St. Pat’s (Thunder Bay) in the deciding game of the NWOSSAA tournament.
The black-and-gold finished in second place with a 1-1 record, having blanked the Manitouwadge Wolverines 5-0 earlier Saturday. Meanwhile, the Saints went 2-0 to capture their third-straight NWOSSAA crown.
They’ll compete at the all-Ontarios in Alliston this week.
The Muskies came out with strong pressure against the Saints to battle back from a 2-0 halftime deficit. Marina Boileau cut the lead in half but that was quickly answered by a heartbreaking tally from Judith Atwood to re-gain the two-goal cushion.
Chrissy Thomson later sailed a free kick over the St. Pat’s defence and into the back of the net with 12 minutes to play but the Muskies could not get the tying goal in the dying minutes.
Muskie keeper Amy Shute, facing the most action she’d seen all season, kept her team in the game when they were on their heels in the first half.
“We knew they [St. Pat’s] were going to be tough,” said Muskie head coach Struchan Gilson. “But I thought our players adapted very well and played very strongly.”
Against Manitouwadge to open action Saturday morning, Sarah Noonan and Thomson each scored twice while deep centre-half Noreen Hartlin netted the Muskies’ other goal.
Including all tournament and exhibition play, the Muskies finished the season with a 15-3-1 record overall, including the school’s 11th NorWOSSA girls’ soccer title.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
