VICTORIA - The UVic Vikes women's soccer team wrapped up their regular season with a 2-1 win over the Fraser Valley Cascades on Saturday. The win secures the Vikes the fourth and final seed for the Canada West playoffs, as they moved ahead of fifth-place Calgary. UVic boasts a record of with a 7-4-3 record, while Calgary sits at 6-4-3 - even if Calgary wins its final game against Trinity Western they would lose out on the tiebreaker with UVic as the Vikes won the season head-to-head series with a win and a tie.

BOX SCORE

The Vikes opened the scoring early when #Jaclyn Sawicki# (Coquitlam, B.C.) scored on a penalty kick after freshman #Emma Greig# (Tofino, B.C.) was hauled down in the box. Sawicki would later earn game-MVP honours, as her 80th minute tally and second goal of the game held up as the game winner and lifted the Vikes to the next round.

Late in the first half, captain and game MVP Megan Webster gave the Cascades the game-tying goal. Cascades forwards Carly Neeson and Danika Snook were consistent offensive threats but the lone goal would leave the cascades with a 3-8-3 record.

Prior to the game, head coach #Tracy David# and her squad honoured veteran #Sarah Clark# (North Vancouver, B.C.) for her five-season commitment to the Vikes. Clark is the only graduating player this season but has not been unable to compete in the past few games due to injury.

The Vikes opened the scoring In the eighth minute, thanks to a pretty passing play on the right side of the box between Sawicki and Greig. Unable to handle their speed, the Cascades were forced to foul Greig and Sawicki made no mistake on the resulting penalty kick to lift the Vikes 1-0.

As the first half progressed, the UVic side seemed complacent with their lead and in the 18th minute, Cascades forward Snook was fed straight up the middle of the park. Snook gained strides on two Vikes defenders but UVic's #Amy Lawrence# (Burnaby, B.C.) and keeper #Stephanie Parker# (Chemainus, B.C.) were eventually able to close the gap and deny any scoring chance.

Possession sided in Fraser Valley's favour with several attempts by Neeson and veteran forward Ellen Kuyer consistently testing Vikes keeper Parker. The Cascades would finally be rewarded in the 41st minute when Webster was fed by Snook. Webster buried a shot from the top of the 18-yard-box to tie the game 1-1.

After the break, the Vikes desperately pushed for the go-ahead goal. Both teams put on a good, physical battle with UVic generating several opportunities stemming from Sawicki and third-year midfielder #Jacqueline Harrison# (Whitehorse, YK).

In the 80th minute, late substitute #Tessa Margetts# (Victoria, B.C.) fed Sawicki to give the Vikes the 2-1 lead. The spectacular finish came from almost ten yards outside the 18-yard box, beating Cascades keeper Chantelle Biagioni. The goal would be all the Vikes would need to move through to the Canada West Final Four.

The UVic women will now prepare for the playoffs being hosted on Nov. 5-6 at Trinity Western University.