Yukon girls’ soccer team wraps up play at Canada Games

It wasn't the final result they were hoping for, but the Yukon's U-18 girls' soccer squad proved winning isn't everything at the 2009 Canada Summer Games.

It wasn’t the final result they were hoping for, but the Yukon’s U-18 girls’ soccer squad proved winning isn’t everything at the 2009 Canada Summer Games.

Despite going 0-4, including a close 2-1 loss to the Northwest Territories Friday, it was the group’s play on the field that has head coach John MacPhail so pleased about the week-long competition.

Highlights include three straight games that the team gave itself a chance to win, but unfortunately for the Yukoners each one concluded with a one-goal loss.

“We had three games that we could have won, so we came and competed, which was our goal,” he said. “Even though we came out on the short end, there was a bit of a buzz and a lot of questions. People asking me about Yukon soccer because of the results we were posting.”

After opening up the tournament with a lopsided 12-0 loss to Ontario, the Yukoners turned it around, playing Saskatchewan to a close 2-1 game and then following that contest up with an extra frame 3-2 loss to P.E.I.

The team’s final game was against the N.W.T., which despite them carrying most of the play and only allowing a couple of shots on goal, the Yukon couldn’t find a way to get the ‘W.’

“It’s very disappointing, but we focused on the end about the whole week and how well we did at the Canada Games,” MacPhail said. “Besides our Ontario game we had one goal games against two provinces and then the N.W.T. one was just hard luck. We beat them in every aspect except for the score.”

This was MacPhail’s first loss in the coaching role to the Yukon’s neighbouring territory, a fact he said that was reminded to him by the N.W.T.‘s head coach.

This was his fifth game coaching against the N.W.T. and third against that particular coach.

The N.W.T. took a quick 1-0 lead early on in the opening half, scoring on a breakaway. The Yukon later responded in the second half on a penalty shot by Emily Fedoriak.

MacPhail said the N.W.T. didn’t have much offensive chances for the remaining three quarters of the game, but a funny hop ended up in a go-ahead goal with around two minutes left in the contest. The goal restored the N.W.T.‘s lead and this time around they didn’t give it up.

“That’s part of soccer sometimes where you beat somebody pretty good and then they get a couple of cheap goals,” he said. “That’s I guess, why you play the game.”

For some of the girls, Friday’s game marked an end to their Yukon minor soccer days. A few of the players on the team had been preparing for the 2009 Canada Summer Games since they were 12 years old, MacPhail said, adding there were some tears at the last team meeting.

“It’s been a good tournament, a fantastic run with these kids,” he said.

MacPhail is still in P.E.I. and plans on attending some more Canada Summer Games events, including watching the Yukon boys’ soccer team on Tuesday.

The Yukon has yet to win a medal at the 2009 competition, but with swimming getting underway in Week Two hopes are high that will change. The territory is fielding what is believed by many as its strongest Canada Games swim team.

Quebec leads all provinces at the Games with 49 medals, while Ontario is in a two-way tie with B.C. for second place. The two provinces each have 47 medals and Alberta sits in third with 16 medals.