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UVic Vikes soccer teams aim to rebound at home

Vikes women and men in action Friday and Saturday
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The University of Victoria Vikes have yet to win in Canada West soccer this season, but what better way to potentially break into the victory column than in the first home games, which annually fill the stands at Centennial Stadium in a campus student promotion.

The Vikes men are 0-3-1 following the opening four games on the road and the UVic women 0-2-1. The women’s game today begins at 5 p.m. against the U Sports national defending-champion MacEwan Griffins (1-1) of Edmonton and the men’s game at 7:15 p.m. against the Fraser Valley Cascades (1-1).

“It’s been a hard start and we are hoping to play better,” said UVic men’s head coach Larry Stefanek.

“We know there will be a lot of energy [tonight] and we are looking to deliver for the crowd.”

Stefanek has replaced Bruce Wilson, the former Canada World Cup captain, who retired after 34 years as the Vikes head coach. The Vikes won the Pacific Division last season, made the Canada West final and played in the 2021 U Sports national championship tournament. But the Stefanek era began with the new coach facing a rebuild.

“Our young guys are learning and we have to hit our stride, and when we do, the results will come,” said Stefanek.

The Vikes women’s team, with head coach and former national team star Tracy David in her 20th season on the bench, is also facing a rebuild after heavy 2021 graduation. Notable returnees include fifth-year Dari Cote, fourth-year Trinity Kettyls, third-year players Abby Mackenzie and Emma Skalik, second-year Tessa Vande Vegte and second-year goalkeeper Kayley Lidstone.

The Canada West soccer games Saturday at ­Centennial Stadium feature the UVic women playing the University of Alberta Pandas (1-1) at 5 p.m. and the Vikes men against the undefeated Trinity Western Spartans (3-0-1) at 7:15.

FIELD HOCKEY: The UVic Vikes women’s field-hockey dynasty will be after its fourth consecutive U Sports national championship, and 15th overall, when the Canada West season opens with the Vikes visiting Calgary to play the Dinos on Saturday and Sunday. The Vikes, who have won 22 conference championships, open at home Sept. 24-25 against the arch-nemesis UBC Thunderbirds.

UVic is led by national team midfielder Anna Mollenhauer, who played this summer for Canada in the 2022 World Cup in Spain and 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. The talented SMUS graduate, the 2021 Canada and U Sports MVP, is entering her fifth season with the Vikes.

TRIATHLON: Jack Screen and Colette Reimer of the UVic Vikes are representing Canada at the 2022 world university triathlon championships today and Saturday in Maceio, ­Brazil. Second-year Vikes runner Screen won the 16-19 age group sprint world championship this summer. Third-year Vikes athlete Reimer cleaned up in the ­Niagara Region by winning three gold medals in the 2022 Canada Summer Games.

ROWING: The UVic Vikes christened their newest boats this week. They are named in honour of alumni and Olympic gold-medallists Kevin Light and the late Kevin Neufeld, Olympic silver-medallist Marilyn Campbell [nee Brain] and legendary coach Doug White.