The University of Victoria soccer teams could potentially be facing more than just the opposition at Canada West championships this week. They may be battling the elements as well.
When Bruce Wilson's defending national champion men's team steps on the pitch in Edmonton this morning at 11, they could be playing in snow and -5 C conditions at Foote Field on the University of Alberta campus.
That will likely force the six-team tournament from the natural grass surface onto the turf.
"Conditions play a big part when we head to the Prairies," said Vikes head coach Bruce Wilson. "We're constantly checking the weather, but conditions play a big part here, too, in Victoria, to be honest. I expect the games to be moved to turf, so that would not necessarily help us.
"However, it won't help Alberta or Saskatchewan, as they are both grass teams as well. If it moves to artificial, it changes Alberta's chances, for sure, and it changes other team's chances as well."
The Alberta Golden Bears are the hosts, with Saskatchewan and Calgary both competing from the Prairie division. UBC, Trinity Western and Victoria qualified from the Pacific side.
"We are quite happy to be where we are," said Wilson, who lost 11 players from his 2011 CIS championship team.
"Our goal this season was to make the playoffs. It was a difficult schedule," said Wilson, who played UBC and Trinity Western four times away. "We've accomplished our goal."
And they're talented enough to do some damage at Canada West.
The Vikes beat Saskatchewan 2-0 at the end of September but took until the last weekend of play to clinch a playoff spot. Wilson then sat many of his regulars in their last appearance against Winnipeg, a 2-0 loss.
Craig Gorman is making the trip, but his status was unknown as of Wednesday.
Craig Taylor (knee) is done for the season, and the Vikes will need output from Cam Hundal and Cam Stokes, who are both fit.
If the Vikes can defeat Saskatchewan this morning, they would face nemesis UBC in the semifinal Friday.
"We lost to them 1-0 and 2-1, but I have to be honest: I think we have a chance against UBC if we get to play them," Wilson said.
Six teams are competing, and the two finalists advance to CIS championships at Laval University in Quebec City next week.
Meanwhile, West Coast - or wet coast - weather means Tracy David's women's Vikes will take to a damp field in Langley as they face the UBC Thunderbirds in a Canada West semifinal Friday at 7 p.m.
That game could also be moved to turf if the rain continues to fall as it has all week.
"This is going to be another great test for us. We're going to be under pressure, and that's what we'll be facing at national championships," said David, whose team hosts CIS nationals next week. "UBC is a very good team, and we're looking forward to the game."
The Vikes defeated UBC 2-1 in Victoria three weeks ago, but conditions could affect Friday's outcome.
"They will move it to turf if they have to, if there is standing water on the pitch," David said. "Trinity [the host] plays on grass as well, and we hope it stays there, because UBC is a turf team, so we'd rather play on the real slippery grass.
"UBC is very good at going forward, and we have to take care of that part of the house first, and if we can do that, I have confidence in our squad that we can find a few gaps of our own and look to finish when we get the opportunities," David said.
The Vikes placed second in the regular season behind Trinity Western and just ahead of UBC and Regina.
The two semifinal winners advance to the final Saturday.
