VICTORIA – The annual Keg Spring Cup soccer tournament returns to Centennial Stadium, Mar. 22-23. In addition to the University of Victoria Vikes, the two-day event features the UBC Thunderbirds, UFV Cascades, Trinity Western Spartans and the University of Alberta Pandas.
 
KEG CUP TOURNAMENT INFO  /  MEN'S YEAR IN REVIEW /  WOMEN'S YEAR IN REVIEW
 
The Vikes and the T-Birds will meet Saturday for the first time since the 2013 women's bronze medal match. Last November, the two teams met in torrential downpour, with the game going to penalty kicks before Victoria claimed victory and the Canada West bronze medal. The 'Birds will no doubt be looking to leave Centennial's pitch with a different outcome.
 
Trinity Western enters this year's tournament as the two-time defending women's CIS champions, who also defeated the Vikes 2-1 in last year's Canada West semifinal game. Depending on Saturday's outcomes, the Vikes could exercise some demons over the visiting Spartans, who they also upset in last year's edition of the tournament.
 
Also competing on the women's side is the CIS bronze medal winning University of Alberta, who finished second in the Canada West before ending the season on a positive note at the national championships.
 
The men's side sees the UBC taking on Trinity Western in the first of the two men's games, with the two-time defending CIS champion 'Birds facing off against a Spartans squad who failed to make the playoffs last season.
 
UVic's men's squad will face off in the final game of the day as they take on the Cascades for the first time since dropping a 2-1 decision in the Canada West Final Six consolation round in Vancouver.
 
The Vikes will look to repeat as tournament winners for the second-straight year on the women's side, while the men will aim to best their 2013 second-place finish. Games start at 10:00 a.m., with the Vikes kicking off at 2:00 p.m. for the women and 4:00 p.m. for the men.
 
All games take place at Centennial Stadium and admission is free. For more information please visit www.govikesgo.com/kegcup