PRINCE GEORGE – The University of Victoria Vikes struck early, then played a controlled game en route to a 3-0 victory over the UNBC Timberwolves on a rainy Sunday afternoon at the PGYSA Fields.
"I would say we had a very good overall team performance. We really looked to attack and had lots of opportunities," said Vikes head coach
Tracy David. "Credit to UNBC because their defenders were blocking shots all day long."
Miranda Sakich (Vancouver, B.C.),
Mia Gunter (Edmonton, Alta.), and
Kyra Teetzen (Quesnel, B.C.) all scored for the Vikes (3-1-3), who outshot the Timberwolves (0-6-0) 25-4 overall, and 10-2 in shots on goal.
Puck Louwes (Victoria, B.C.) turned aside both shots she faced for the clean sheet in the Vikes goal, while Lianna Toopitsin (Prince George, B.C.) made seven saves for the Timberwolves.
Sakich opened the scoring in the eighth minute, putting home a strike from about 10 yards out and beating Toopitsin to the bottom-right corner to give the Vikes the early one-goal advantage.
Ten minutes later, the Vikes extended their lead. A corner kick from
Sarah Douglas (London, Ont.) found its way to Gunter, whose shot deflected off the back of a Timberwolves defender and caught Toopitsin going the wrong way for Gunter's second of the season and a 2-0 Victoria lead through halftime.
Teetzen iced it for the Vikes in the 86th minute, as she broke away from a pair of UNBC defenders before her shot from about 25 yards out handcuffed Toopitsin for the final tally of the match.
"We played really positive today. We got forwards, had numbers in the box and put in a lot of crosses. It was all-good today," said David
It was a clean game on both sides, with no cautions issued in the match.
The win moves the Vikes into fourth place in the closely contested Pacific Division of Canada West soccer. In which four teams - from second to fifth place - are separated by just four points.
The Vikes return home next weekend to battle the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack (Sept. 30, 5 p.m.) and the UBC Okanagan Heat (Oct. 1, 5 p.m.),
Both games will be available on CanadaWest.TV.
