After a tremendous start to their regular season, the Douglas College Royal's women's soccer team unfortunately fell short on their PACWEST championship aspirations, as they lost in a heartbreaking semi-finals matchup to the Capilano University Blues.
The game started off with a bit of a back and forth between the two teams until about the 9th minute mark when a strong offensive effort from the Royals was unfolding.
Shots from veteran PACWEST All-Star Taylor Wettig, PACWEST Co-Rookie of the year Taylor spong, and multiple attempts on goal from first year forward Rachel Kilbrai all helped get Douglas going on the offensive end.
It wasn't until close to the 16th minute when Wettig scored the first goal of the game with a little help from her 5th year counterpart Alyssa Lum, giving the Royals the 1-0 lead.
For the rest of the first half, Capilano began to increase their offensive pressure in Douglas's zone but first year goaltender Tess Venables was up to the test as she saved all six shots on goal in the first forty-five minutes of the game.
The Blues offensive persistence continued in the second half and paid off in the 65th minute as fourth year player Brooklyn Doucette tied the game up at one a piece.
Capilano once again did not stop firing the ball at Douglas's net, but fortunately for the Royals Tess Vanables and the Royal's defence helped stop the rest of Capilano's shots on goal from going in for the rest of regulation, leading the game into extra time.
In the first 15 minutes of extra time, this time it was the Royals who pressed offensively with multiple corner kicks and shots on goal but to Capilano's credit, goaltender Darian Roussy and the Blues defensive side shut down all of Douglas's offensive efforts.
In the second overtime period the ball was back and forth between both teams, as Capilano and Douglas had chances to score but none of which translated into goals, which took this game to penalty kicks.
The first three rounds of penalties for both teams were all goals, as second year defender Hannah De La Cruz, second year midfielder Mikaela Montagano, and fourth year defender Sonali Dholliwar all scored for Douglas.
The fourth round of penalty kicks had both teams miss their shots.
Unfortunately for the Royals it was round number five that sealed the deal for the Blues as after Royals forward Martina Pettenon missed her shot, it was first year fullback Julia Peyton that clinched Capilano's spot in the gold medal match.
Although the Royals fell short of winning the conference championships this season, the Royals have much to look forward to as plenty of first year players on the team showed much promise this season and can hopefully use this as a learning experience to grow for next year.
