For a team that only scored once in its first three games, the University of Victoria Vikes women’s soccer team certainly seems to have found the golden boot. A few of them, in fact.
The Vikes (2-2-1) completed a 9-1 weekend in goals for and against by defeating the Alberta Pandas 3-1 on Saturday evening in Canada West play at Centennial Stadium.
“Our mobility was very good out of the central midfield and that worked in our favour,” said Vikes coach Tracy David, whose club followed up a 6-0 conference victory Friday over UNBC.
David is in her 14th season coaching UVic after 16 seasons of guiding the Pandas.
Asked if it was satisfying to beat her old club, David replied: “Victory is sweet no matter who you play.”
The Vikes got goals from veteran Emma Greig of Tofino at seven minutes, Emily Lieuwen at 29 minutes and rookie Kiara Kilbey out of Stelly’s at 55 minutes off a fine free kick from NCAA Pac-12 Oregon Ducks transfer Mia Gunter. Karissa McNutt ended the Vikes shutout bid late at 90 minutes.
The CIS nationally seventh-ranked UVic Vikes men’s soccer team (3-1-1), coached by Canadian 1986 World Cup captain Bruce Wilson in his 28th season, lost for the first time this year. The Fraser Valley Cascades recorded the 2-1 Canada West upset in Abbotsford on Saturday, with Cam Hundal scoring the Vikes goal.
On the field hockey pitch, UVic blanked the defending CIS champion UBC Thunderbirds 3-0 on goals by Andrea Jones, Lizzie Yates and Amanda Kurianowicz to open the Canada West season. The Vikes and T-Birds, two programs which have produced numerous national team players for Canada, meet again this morning at 11 a.m. on UVic’s turf field.
