The pitch may have resembled a slip and slide at times, but the wet conditions on Saturday, Oct. 25 didn鈥檛 deter the VIU Mariners women鈥檚 soccer team from achieving provincial gold in Squamish.
VIU defeated the Langara College Falcons 1-0 in the Pacwest championship and the win means the first trip ever to Nationals for eight-year head coach Anup Kang.
鈥淲e鈥檝e had some strong teams over the years that I鈥檝e been here, but have just never been able to get over the hump,鈥� he said after the win. 鈥淭his group is different, they have such focus and we鈥檙e just ecstatic we came up on top.鈥�
The difference proved to be tournament MVP Samantha Rodgers鈥� penalty kick goal in the first half. She said the Mariners never gave up.
鈥淚t was really intense the whole way through and a goal on a penalty kick proves how close the game was,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e never let ourselves get comfortable. The win means so much to the program and ourselves 鈥� we have three fifth year players and it鈥檚 such a big deal for them.鈥�
Kang said he鈥檚 proud of his team.
鈥淚t was a great game, but we got the bounces and our girls played really well 鈥� especially in the first half,鈥� he said. 鈥淟angara pushed us in the second 鈥� they鈥檙e a very good team, but we鈥檙e happy to get the win.鈥�
The women鈥檚 tournament was incredibly close, with all four games being decided by one goal and each heading to extra time except for the gold medal game. The bronze game saw Douglas College defeat Kwantlen in the shootout.
VIU and Langara now both head to the Nationals in Medicine Hat in November, but VIU will have a higher ranking after winning Pacwest gold.
In the men鈥檚 bracket it was a little d茅j脿 vu for members of the Douglas College Royals. Quest hosted the event back in 2011 and Douglas came out on top and it was the same story in 2014.
The Royals beat VIU in the shootout on Sunday (Oct. 26) to win gold and goalkeeper Marc Mincieli said 麻豆社国产has been a lucky spot for his team.
鈥淭o win two titles in the same place is unreal,鈥� he said. 鈥淥ur coaches were joking about how fortunate we鈥檝e been up here.鈥�
Mincieli said it鈥檚 always a battle for the Royals against the Mariners.
鈥淰IU is a fantastic team and I wouldn鈥檛 be surprised to meet them again in the National final,鈥� he said.
Both Douglas and VIU now head to Ontario in November for the National championships.
The host Quest Kermodes won the bronze on Sunday morning. Douglas College鈥檚 Spencer Deboice was named MVP of the men鈥檚 tournament.
For more details on the tournament, visit www.pacwestbc.ca/2014soccer.
