The University of Victoria Vikes secured four out of a possible six points on their season opening road trip, following a 2-0 victory over the Manitoba Bisons on Sunday Sept. 11.

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"It's already two points more than we had last year so it's better than last year for sure," said Vikes women's soccer head coach #Tracy David#. "It's a tough road trip with a long flight and  travel in between, and coming here early. It's tough."

The Vikes improve to 1-0-1, after tying the Regina Lady Cougars a day earlier 1-1, while the Bisons fall to 0-2-0.

UVic scored a couple of quick first-half goals, building an insurmountable lead.

Vikes sophomore sensation #Jaclyn Sawicki# (Coquitlam, B.C.) was robbed early by Bisons goalkeeper Chloe Werle, as the Manitoba netminder grabbed the ball out of mid air to keep the game scoreless.

But the Vikes kept pouring on the pressure, and Sawicki set up #Jacqueline Harrison# (Whitehorse) for a close-range goal to give UVic a 1-0 lead. Then, two minutes later, #Mallory Hackett# (Victoria) struck from outside and scored past Werle on a play set up by #Cassie Dennis# (Calgary) to give UVic a 2-0 lead.

Werle stopped Sawicki again early in the second half before the Vikes put up a great defensive shell and kept the Bisons at bay to hold on for a 2-0 victory.

Vikes goalkeeper #Stephanie Parker# (Chemainus) made four saves for the shutout to improve her record to 1-0-1.

"I thought we played really well, particularly in the first half," David said. "We were pretty composed on the ball, and we started involving our wide players a little bit more; they saw a lot of the ball. I think it was pretty effective. We were able to get the ball to the back post more than we did yesterday (Saturday against Regina)."

"I think that we had a focused mindset, we were disciplined in our shape and we were pretty determined," David added. "We created three or four others (chances) we probably should have scored on. On one or two, their goalkeeper made saves, and on the others we blasted the ball over the net when we should have just placed it in the back of their net."

The Vikes host the Alberta Pandas (2-0-0) on Saturday Sept. 17 at 12 p.m. in their home opener at Centennial Stadium and then host the Saskatchewan Huskies (1-1-0) on Sept. 18 at 12 p.m. at Centennial Stadium.