Needing a victory to secure a home sa国际传媒 West playoff spot, the University of Victoria Vikes women鈥檚 soccer team fell short on Saturday night by way of a 2-2 tie with the University of Fraser Valley Cascades at Centennial Stadium.
The Cascades earn the third and final home berth and will play host to the Vikes on Saturday in quarter-final action.
Amanda Carruthers鈥檚 goal in the 81st minute was the dagger to the heart as the Vikes were hanging on to a 2-1 lead. Brittney Zacharuk鈥檚 effort, just nine minutes in, gave the visitors a 1-0 lead.
The game turned shortly afterward as Emily Lieuwen pounced on a loose ball for Victoria in the 14th minute. Stephanie Badilla-Gutierrez made it 2-1 to the Vikes with a rocket that went in off the crossbar seven minutes before the half-time break.
The Vikes couldn鈥檛 quite hang on and will have to face the Cascades on their tighter turf field, which is an advantage to the home side.
鈥淲e鈥檙e disappointed, very disappointed,鈥� said Vikes coach Tracy David.
鈥淲e wanted to host and I thought that was within our capabilities. I still feel that way, but we have another crack at them.鈥�
The two teams also tied 0-0 at UFV earlier this season.
鈥淎t least we鈥檙e there and we鈥檝e given ourselves another chance,鈥� David said.
The Cascades 鈥� who finished 8-5-1, ahead of Victoria鈥檚 7-4-3 鈥� had a chance to win it outright on Saturday in the 89th minute, but Shelby Beck鈥檚 penalty kick went wide of Vikes keeper Meaghan Storie鈥檚 net.
On the men鈥檚 side, the Vikes easily defeated Trinity Western 5-1 and will be at home on the weekend to open the playoffs on Friday night against the Mount Royal Cougars.
Cam Hundal scored twice and Michael Baart, Dominic Colantonio and Isaac Koch added one goal each for Victoria. Leighton Johnson replied for Trinity Western.
In women鈥檚 field hockey play, Andrea Jones scored the lone goal as Victoria blanked Calgary 1-0 as the Vikes improve to 6-0-1 in sa国际传媒 West play while the Dinos are winless at 0-7. The two will meet again today at 11 a.m.
The Vikes women鈥檚 basketball team will also play host to Ryerson University this morning at 11 at CARSA gym.
Meanwhile in men鈥檚 basketball play, the Vikes wrapped up a pre-season trip to Ontario with a 71-65 win over the Guelph Gryphons 71-65. Jordan Charles had a game-high 19 points.
Also today, the Vikes鈥� women鈥檚 rugby team will meet Lethbridge in the sa国际传媒 West final at noon Pacific time in Edmonton.
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