VICTORIA – The talent of Duncan, B.C., was proudly on display during the penultimate Canada West regular season game, as the University of Victoria Vikes shutout the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds 1-0 on Saturday afternoon at the UVic Field Hockey Turf.

Ashton Aumen of the Vikes was one of six players raised in Duncan this afternoon gunning for the Canada West championship and the rights to host the U SPORTS national championship.

She ended up scoring the conference-clinching goal in a 1-0 tilt.

"It was a pretty surreal feeling. That was the first regular season goal of my career and it felt great," said Aumen. "I took the pass and saw a lot of space in between the keeper's feet, so I shot it and it worked out."

Second-year defender Judy Cristante forced a turnover and raced up the left wing. She centred it for Aumen, who slapped it through Hannah Rumble's five-hole.

"I'm really proud of this group," said Vikes Head Coach Lynne Beecroft. "All but two of our players are in their third years or younger, and we have came along way this season. The girls played their best with the championship on the line today."

The Thunderbirds needed to steal at least one win this weekend for a chance to claim the Canada West title, as the Vikes entered the final weekend of the season two points up on their Legends Cup. 

Led by their own Duncan product Sara Goodman, the Thunderbirds came out and controlled the gameplay.

The Thunderbirds nearly took an early lead in the first when a shot to the back post was nearly deflected in by Sanhpreet Barsa in the opening minutes.

Goodman was quarterbacking the Thunderbirds offence from the back line all afternoon long with brilliant lengthy passes. She also had several shots following penalty corners.

"Ashton has known Sara for a while and I think she gets up a little bit more when she's going up against her. She made a lot of great plays last weekend but didn't get rewarded for it. I was happy to see it go in even though my eyes were closed at the time," said Beecroft.

Goodman's first of many great scoring chances came in the first, when she blasted a one-timer at Robin Fleming - another product of Duncan - but the third-year goalkepper denied her with a diving blocker save.

In the second off another corner, Goodman cranked another shot, but this time Fleming was there to make the kick save.

Scoreless at half, the Vikes best chance came 10 minutes into the third frame when Erin Dawson was whacking away at a ball down low, but freshman keeper Rumble kept the ball out.

The T-birds kept pushing for the equalizer.

A turnover at midfield led to a three-on-one for the Thunderbirds, but Sophia Berk broke it up with a timely poke check. The Thunderbirds pulled their goalie with three minutes remaining but couldn't draw the equalizer.

The Thunderbirds and Vikes will play out the string on the Canada West season tomorrow at UVic, even though the standings will remain the same regardless of the outcome. Game time is set for 11 a.m. The Vikes now await the winner of the Ontario University Athletics conference to see who their opponent will be at the U SPORTS championship.
 
SCORING SUMMARY  
VIC – Ashton Aumen  FG, 41' 1-0- VIC
GOALKEEPERS
VIC – Robin Fleming 60 MP, 0 GA
UBC – Hannah Rumble 55 MP, 1 GA
UBC – Ava Aminbakhsh 2 MP, 0 GA
 
CARDS
UBC – Thora Rae, GC, 46'