The highly successful soccer season continues for coach Tracy David’s UVic Vikes women’s program.
A 1-0 victory over the Calgary Dinos on Sunday at Centennial Stadium has propelled the group into the Canada West Final 4 tournament, next Friday to Sunday in Langley. The Vikes will face the MacEwan Griffins of Edmonton in one semifinal at 2:30 p.m. while the Trinity Western Spartans face the UBC Thunderbirds in the other at 5:30 p.m.
On Sunday, the Vikes used an early goal from Caitlin Millham and then rode the goalkeeping of Puck Louwes to the victory.
“We were hungry, aggressive and going for the win,” David said of her team’s first-half performance. “We knew what this game meant and that’s how we played.”
The Dinos pressed hard in the second half, but failed to find the equalizer.
Millham’s goal came after some wonderful footwork by Kiara Kilbey deep inside the Calgary 18-yard box that led to an easy tap-in for Millham.
“Kilbey did all the work on that one, I just happened to be in the right place at the right time and the ball went in off my foot,” Millham said.
Louwes made several strong saves throughout as she posted her 11th shutout of the season for the Vikes, who continue to fend off challengers. Louwes’ best efforts came off a Maddison Fritze strike after a turnover by the Vikes’ defence, and a header from Damiane Sawatzky, in which the ’keeper quickly moved to her right to safely secure the offering.
“In the first half, UVic was exceptional and we struggled to deal with them,” said Dinos head coach Troye Flannery, who also received a strong effort from ’keeper Lauren Houghton.
“We made a couple tactical changes at halftime that suited us. I thought we were really good in the second half, and if we string that performance out for two halves, then it could have been a different day.”
The day belonged to the Vikes, however, who now press forward in hopes of reaching the nationals.
“We are a good team and I think our players need to believe that. They need to believe that we can win,” David said. “We want to get to a national championship and that’s what the next game is all about.”
That belief has obviously carried through to the players.
“We are so relieved and so happy. We have been trying to take it one step at a time. But, obviously, this was our goal, and you just can’t keep nationals out of our hearts right now,” Millham said.
