VICTORIA, B.C. – The University of Victoria Vikes men's soccer team settled for weekend split after losing 2-1 to the Fraser Valley Cascades tonight, Sept. 19. With today's results and their 1-0 win over Trinity Western just a day previous the Vikes are 3-1-1 in the Canada West but still on top of the Pacific Division. The Cascades improve to a 2-2 record.
BOX SCORE Fifth-year captain
Cam Hundal was the lone Vike to get on the board tonight in a game that saw Victoria out-shoot the Cascades 10-6. Fourth-year keeper
Noah Pawlowski made just one save for the Vikes who made just one substitute in the entire game. Fifth-year midfielder
Dominic Colantonio was credited the assist to Hundal to finish the weekend with a point per game after the senior scored the Vikes' only goal in yesterday's win over the Spartans.
For the home side, veteran Colton O'Neill got on the board early to open the scoring, while Michael Mobilio notched the game winner for Fraser Valley. Both goals came in the first half and were just 11 minutes apart. Keeper Alex Skrzeta made three saves in the match, while the Cascades mustered six shots in the game, three of which were on target.
The Cascades went ahead early in the first half and leaned on some stellar goalkeeping and strong defence to see them through to their first home win. Cascades captain O'Neill opened the scoring in the 11
th minute on a penalty kick. Vikes defender
Keevan Webb was deemed to have contacted the ball with his hand in the box and O'Neill took advantage, driving a hard shot down the center of the goal to give Fraser Valley the lead.
The Cascades scored again in the 22
nd minute after Mason Thompson delivered a perfect through ball to Mobilio who made no mistake. Vikes keeper Pawlowski watched the ball settle into the bottom right corner of the net, extending the home side's lead to 2-0.
Victoria got one back in the 25
th minute. The Vikes pounced on a broken Cascades play and immediately turned the ball towards goal. Colantonio charged forward and found fellow midfielder Hundal to his right, who struck the ball off the left post and in behind Fraser Valley goalkeeper Skrzeta to trail by one, 2-1.
Skrzeta preserved the Cascades' lead in the 39
th minute when Vikes midfielder
Sam Prette broke in alone and fired the ball low and hard to the corner of the net. The Cascades net minder dove to his left and parried the ball wide of the post.
Skrzeta was again called into action in the 51
st minute. Hundal, looking for his second tally of the game, broke down the right wing drove and the ball on goal. The Fraser Valley keeper ranged to his left and smothered the ball to negate the scoring chance.
Cascades midfielder Connor MacMillan had a chance to extend the Cascades' lead in minute 73 after O'Neill touched the ball into his path. MacMillan took a touch forward into the box but Victoria keeper Pawlowski quickly closed on the attacker and made a sliding save.
UVIC had another chance at goal in the 77
th minute. After some impressive ball movement from the Vikes in the offensive third, midfielder
Craig Gorman punched a rising strike on net from 20 yards out. Skrzeta lunged quickly to his right and collected the ball, securing the Cascades' 2-1 victory.
Up next the Vikes will return home for a pair of games against UBC Okanagan and Thompson Rivers, Sept. 25-26. Both games will take place at Centennial Stadium at 7:15 p.m. Ticket information is available at
govikesgo.com/tickets while live webcast video and stats is available by pay-per-view at
uvic.canadawest.tv.
SCORING SUMMARYUFV: 2 – 0 : 2
UVIC: 1 – 0 : 1
SCORING LEADERSUFV: Colton O'Neill (11'), Michael Mobilio (22')
UVIC:
Cam Hundal (25')
GAME MVPsUFV: #3 Sukhjit Dhaliwal
UVIC: #24
Keevan Webb
