VICTORIA - The size and experience of the Saskatchewan Huskies paid dividends in a 2-1 victory over the host UVic Vikes in front of almost 100 fans at Centennial Stadium on Sept. 18.

BOX SCORE / FULL VIKES SCHEDULE

With the victory, the Huskies improve to 3-1-0 on the season, while UVic falls to 1-2-1. The Vikes travel to Alberta to face Lethbridge and Calgary next weekend with 11 a.m. PST start times on Saturday Sept. 24 and Sunday Sept. 25 respectively.

Saskatchewan's goals came from Elizabeth Hudon (Prince Albert, Sask.) and Lindsay Manz (Saskatoon), while #Jacqueline Harrison# (Whitehorse, Yukon) scored the lone UVic goal, tying the game at 1-1 in the first half.

The Huskies drew first blood in the sixth minute after Kasya Naidu (Saskatoon) took the ball to the line, getting air under the cross for Hudon who managed to split the defence and get her foot on the ball to score. The goal was created off Vikes turnover near the line line that bounced in Naidu's favour, allowing her to gain space and cross the ball into the box.

Hudon nearly tallied her second goal in the ninth minute breaking in but Vikes goalkeeper #Stephanie Parker# (Chemainus, B.C.) timed her run off the line well and came up with a big save after cutting down the angle effectively. The fourth-year netminder finished with six saves.

Harrison evened the score with a beautiful goal in the 44th minute. The junior attacking midfielder took a pass from freshman striker #Emma Greig# (Parksville, B.C.) and deked around Saskatchewan's Marissa Wilford (Winnipeg) before converting on the open-net.

Despite outshooting Saskatchewan 11-3 in the opening half, the teams entered the break dead-locked at 1-1. An effective offside trap allowed the Vikes to keep the high-powered Huskies offence in check but UVic was frustrated by Wilford who was solid in net for the Huskies - she finished with 11 saves.

The Vikes had a good opportunity to go up 2-1 in the 51st minute after Wilford had trouble grabbing a strike from Tessa Margetts (Victoria), but the shot hit the crossbar after slipping through Wilford's hands and the score remained even.

Junior striker Manz took a pass from Daniela Fuenzalida (Saskatoon) and dribbled around Parker, booting it in to give the Huskies the 2-1 lead in the 58th minute.

Greig was robbed in the 63rd minute on a low drive that Wilford dove to collect. She also pounced on a rebound off a Vikes corner a minute later to keep her squad up 2-1.

UVic generated several scoring chances late in the second half, but once again Wilford was the calming rock in net to preserve the win.