VICTORIA - The University of Victoria Vikes women's soccer team started off the University's 50th anniversary homecoming weekend in good fashion, as the Vikes blanked the Winnipeg Wesmen 11-0. Vikes second-year forward Emma Greig (Tofino, BC) netted her third hat trick of the season as the Vikes improve their record to 5-0-1. 

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The Vikes women paced the Wesmen with several players contributing to the scoreboard including midfielder Lindsay Hoetzel (Victoria, BC), who pocketed two to bring her season total to six. Also contributing to the board was Jacqueline Harrison (Whitehorse, YT), Jaclyn Sawicki (Coquitlam, BC) and Sarah Douglas (London, ONT), who each had two.

Canada West and CIS new comers, the Winnipeg Wesmen, battled back from an 8-0 first-half defecit to hold off the Vikes 3-0 in the final 45 minutes of play. Rookie keeper Kim Gudmandson landed hard after a dive in the first half and had to be replaced by second year defender Janelle Comte for the remainder of the game. 

"Emma is a very, very good striker," said Tracy David, Vikes women's soccer head coach. "I think great strikers are strikers that can score against the best teams so, that will be the challenge moving forward. I definitely think she can do it."

The Vikes opened the scoring in the 7th minute of play when solid work down the right hand side of the pitch by Tessa Margetts (Victoria, BC) allowed her to send a flat cross in front of Goodmansun. Harrison made the touch in to put the Vikes up 1-0. Only one minute later, Margetts was able to find Emma Greig inside the six-yard-box. Greig cut the ball back to Hoetzel, for her fifth of the season, to give the Vikes a comfortable 2-0 lead early in the game.

Following the Vikes' third goal by Sawicki in the 16th minute, Winnipeg striker Chelsea Kwasnicki gained an opportunity off of a Brigitte Greig (Parksville, BC) turnover. Kwasnicki's shot was wide and well-watched by Vikes keeper Stephanie Parker (Chemainus, BC).

In the 19th minute of play, defender Carly Branion-Calles (Richmond, BC) served a long cross into the box for Emma Greig, who got good air and headed the ball solidly in the back of the net to send the Vikes up by four.

The Wesmen had their best chance in the 44th minute, when Kwasnicki did well against two Vikes defenders and had a clean shot on goal that seemed to beat Parker. Fortunately, the Branion-Calles was in good position to clear the ball of the goal line.

The Vikes retaliated with two goals in the final minute of the first period to enter the break with an 8-0 lead.

Following the break, second-half substitute Douglas netted two goals in the final minutes of play to bring the final score to 11-0 in favour of the Vikes women. 

"We are so fortunate that we are able to have the players on the bench that we have," said David after making seven substitutions at the half. "We switch a lot of people after the half and it's great to see that we get much of the same pace out there."

The Vikes continue their undefeated streak and will take on the University of Manitoba tomorrow, Sept. 29, at 5 p.m. at Centennial Stadium. The game will be broadcast live at http://uvic.canadawest.tv

SCORING SUMMARY
    1st - 2nd : 3rd
UVIC: 8 - 3 : 11
WPG:  0 -0 : 0

Victoria: Jackie Harrison (7',  55'), Lindsay Hoetzel (10', 37'), Emma Greig (19', 31', 45'), Jaclyn Sawicki (16' 45'), Sarah Douglas (86', 89')