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Second-half letdowns led to a pair of losses for the TORL Force on opening day at the Canadian under-16 ringette championship tournament in London, Ont.
Playing as Team BC at the national tournament, the Thompson Okanagan Ringette League representatives gave up five goals in the second half to fall 7-3 to Manitoba No. 1 in their first game on Monday, while they allowed two unanswered goals in the final period to come out on the short end of a 3-1 decision to Alberta No. 3.
Despite outshooting Manitoba and having more scoring chances in the first period, Team BC was held to a 2-2 draw at the break. Delainey Gregory and Alyssa Racine were the Force marksmen, while Emma Carter and Kayt Meraw (Lake Country) assisted on the plays.
Penalty trouble cost the Force, as Manitoba took advantage to pull away in the final frame. Courtney Bacon of Salmon Arm scored the lone goal for B.C. in the second half of the game.
Meanwhile, the Force lost the services of Vernon’s Aly Carter for the remainder of the tournament after she suffered a wrist and thumb injury on Monday.
Team BC played Alberta even (1-1) in the first half of the Force’s second game. Emily Williams of Salmon Arm was the lone goalscorer in a losing cause, with Vernon’s Abby Williamson and Racine assisting on the play.
Kelowna’s Georgia Gregory was particularly strong in goal for the Force, especially during some sustained second-half pressure by the Alberta squad. Gregory also received stellar play in front of her from defenders Hailey McRae and Brooklyn Keller of Kelowna and Vernon’s Evan Koshure and Maddy Fox.
The B.C. line of Racine, Williams and Emma Carter turned the momentum tide with several shifts of continuous pressure in the second half, but couldn’t get the equalizer before the Force surrendered a late goal that sealed the Alberta win.
Force coach, Warren Carter, knew his team would be in tough competition all week, but expects the TORL girls to come back in two matches on Tuesday.
"We've played many of these teams and they really are all quite close in caliber. For us to turn things around, it will be a matter of continuing the strong work ethic we saw on Day 1 and getting that odd break.”
Team BC takes on host London in their first match on Tuesday morning and will meet the Edmonton Elite in the afternoon. Following play on Tuesday, all teams will be re-seeded for more pool play later in the week. Final games will be played Saturday, while some of the Force will end their season of road-tripping by cheering on the Toronto Blue Jays in Toronto against the Boston Red Sox on Sunday afternoon before heading home.
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