The St. Anthony’s Sabres senior girls soccer team showed they could move the ball well and keep their competitors on their heels, but couldn’t find the net when it counted the most.
The Sabres hosted their third annual invitational tournament on last Friday and Saturday. The team played well all weekend, but placed fourth at the tourney.
Later on that day they played Canmore in a game that also doubled as league play, and tied with nil apiece. The Sabres won the shoot-out to help them advance in the tournament, but for league purposes, it goes down as a tie.
Their final game on Friday was against Holy Trinity Academy, and the Sabres fell 3-0.
The Sabres’ final game of the tournament was against High Wood High School. They were looking forward to playing this team after their close loss the previous week.
“In the second half we made great strides in progressing the ball forward, and shielding the ball and protecting it, and then making the decision on what to do with the ball,” said coach Gavin Makse, adding the team was hampered as a head wind came up in second half. The Sabres lost 1-0.
Holy Trinity Academy has now made it a hat trick at the Sabre Invitational Tournament. The Sabres placed fourth.
Despite the finish, Makse is undeterred.
“These are not teams we can’t beat,” he said.
“We have to have more anticipation. That is the biggest thing. Timing is everything in soccer, whether you are slowing down the play or anticipating the pass to go through, it can make a split second difference and that can mean a goal.”
The Sabres play Strathmore on Thursday, September 30 at home.