The University of Victoria Vikes began their post-Cam Hundal era with a 1-0 Canada West men’s soccer loss against UBC-Okanagan in Kelowna on Saturday.
Spencer Young scored at the death, officially listed at 89:50, to give UBC-O a dramatic victory.
The stats were fairly even, with the Vikes having 13 shots at goal to UBC-O’s 10 and five corner kicks to UBC-O’s four.
Five-year Vikes star Hundal, the 2015 Canada West and CIS MVP, has graduated and has had pro trials in Europe. Even without Hundal, the Vikes were ranked No. 2 in the Canada West pre-season coaches poll while UBC-Okanagan was ranked No. 10 among the 14 conference teams.
The Vikes are captained by fifth-year, back-line field-general Adam Ravenhill.
The game featured a couple of well-known Island coaches. Bruce Wilson, who as a player captained Canada in the 1984 L.A. Olympics and 1986 World Cup, is in his 29th season as UVic Vikes head coach. Dante Zanatta, who won championships with Victoria United of the Pacific Coast Soccer League, is in his sixth season of guiding UBC-Okanagan.
The Vikes continue their season-opening Canada West road trip with a game today in Kamloops against the Thompson Rivers WolfPack, ranked No. 9 in the Canada West coaches poll.
With Saturday’s last-gasp defeat, today’s game takes on added urgency for the Vikes. The Canada West men’s teams are chasing eight playoff berths.
The Vikes’ following games are the home openers on Sept. 9 and 10 at Centennial Stadium against the Fraser Valley Cascades and Trinity Western Spartans.
The UVic Vikes women’s Canada West soccer season opens next Saturday at Centennial Stadium against the UBC Thunderbirds.
