It wasn’t how they wanted to end their season, but the George McDougall Mustangs ladies came home from the South Central Zone soccer championships Oct. 15 in Cochrane and placed fifth.
“We expected to finish in the top three,” said Mustangs head coach Stephanie Fitzgerald.
“We were a bit disappointed, but we’re happy with how we played.”
The Mustangs opened the tournament with the two close losses, losing 1-0, to both Canmore Collegiate and Foothills Composite.
According to Fitzgerald, officiating was an issue in the game against Foothills.
George Mac took a 1-0 lead, but then had the goal called back. McDougall bounced back with a 6-1 win over St. Anthony’s and a 3-1 win over Highwood High School.
Fitzgerald attributed the two wins to an aggressive offense and solid goalkeeping,
“The girls really pressed offensively,” she said. “Everyone was pushing to score, but there was a lot of unselfishness. Shelby Long (goaltender) only gave up four goals in the entire tournament, which is outstanding.”
Despite a less than ideal finish, Fitzgerald was proud of how the team handled adversity during the tournament.
“They played really well and stayed really positive despite being plagued by the bad officiating,” she said.
“There was a lot of unsportsmanlike conduct from other teams and coaches, but the girls stood up and showed what kind of team they are. I was the most proud of how they behaved.”
