Prince George, BC – The University of Victoria women's soccer team earned a hard-fought point on the road, battling to a 1-1 draw with the UNBC Timberwolves on Oct. 23 at Masich Place Stadium.
Victoria battled hard in the first half, getting a UNBC player sent off.
- The Vikes were putting the pressure on the Timberwolves, forcing their defence to foul. Victoria's advantage grew just before halftime when a UNBC player was shown a red card, forcing the Timberwolves to play the entire second half with 10 players.
- Despite creating numerous chances in the opening 45 minutes, the Vikes were unable to find the back of the net before the break.
The match came alive with a dramatic sequence late in the second half.
- UNBC opened the scoring in the 69th minute as they scored on a free kick just beyond the penalty area, taking a 1-0 lead despite Victoria's numbers advantage.
- The Vikes responded immediately. Just under two minutes later, Ruby Nicholas capitalized on a turnover and raced in alone on goal. Nicholas calmly dribbled around the goalkeeper before sliding the ball into an open net to level the score at 1-1. The equalizer was Nicholas' third goal of the season and capped an impressive response from Victoria.
- The Vikes continued to press for a winner over the final stages of the match but were unable to find a second goal despite generating several quality opportunities.
Notables
- Scarlett McNeely led the Vikes with five shots, including four on target. Victoria outshot UNBC 24-7 and finished with a 14-4 advantage in shots on goal.
- Victoria extends its unbeaten streak to four matches, posting a 3-0-1 record during that stretch.
- With Fraser Valley's loss today, the Vikes officially clinched a Canada West playoff berth and secured fourth place in the Pacific Division.
- The result moves Victoria to 3-3-7 in Canada West play, while UNBC moves to 0-12-1.
The Vikes conclude the regular season on Oct. 25 when they travel to Abbotsford, BC, to face the Fraser Valley Cascades.
