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The University of Victoria Vikes weren鈥檛 intimidated by the opponent鈥檚 stellar credentials at Centennial Stadium Saturday.
The Vikes held the defending CIS national champion UBC Thunderbirds, ranked No. 1 in the country again, to a scoreless draw to open the sa国际传媒 West women鈥檚 soccer season. The Vikes took their chances and were not content just playing for a draw.
鈥淭he inclination for some teams playing against UBC might be just to park the bus in front of the net. But what鈥檚 the fun in that?鈥� said Reynolds Secondary-product Meaghan Storie, who recorded the clean sheet.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 not soccer.鈥�
And that was the Vikes goalkeeper speaking, a player who would be the biggest beneficiary of parking buses in front of nets.
Regardless of how one feels about the Hope Solo controversy from the Rio Olympics, teams that go for it are widely appreciated, and the Vikes know that.
鈥淲e didn鈥檛 back down,鈥� Vikes head coach Tracy David said.
鈥淲e went out to win on home field against the defending champions. And that showed character.鈥�
The Vikes gave as well as they received. UBC hit the post in the first half and Vikes defender and Claremont-grad Samantha Lee was forced to clear the ball off the line in the second. But UVic pressed right to the end, getting two good shots on goal late in the second half.
Yet offence only comes when a team is confident on defence.
鈥淲e kept our shape . . . and our back line was superb,鈥� said David, who has guided the Vikes into the playoffs the past five seasons, and 13 of the 15 years she has coached UVic.
Dangerous UBC offensive threats Jasmine Dhanda, the 2015 CIS national tournament MVP, and Pac-12 Oregon State Beavers transfer Rachel Jones, were kept in check.
鈥淜atie Carrothers was on [Dhanda] and didn鈥檛 give her an inch,鈥� David said of the third-year UVic defender from Reynolds.
CORNER KICKS: The UVic men鈥檚 soccer team had a bye week after starting the sa国际传媒 West season 0-2 for the first time since 2011. But that wasn鈥檛 what Vikes head coach Bruce Wilson, in his 29th season, was asked about as he watched the UVic women play Saturday.
Wilson captained sa国际传媒 in its lone World Cup appearance in 1986 and media were interested in his take of what looks to be yet another World Cup miss in 2018, with sa国际传媒 and defender Adam Straith of Victoria hanging by the most precarious of threads after the 2-1 loss in Honduras Friday.
A sa国际传媒 victory against El Salvador at sa国际传媒 Place on Tuesday, and Honduras loss at Azteca Stadium against leaders Mexico, would leave sa国际传媒 and Honduras tied for the second and final berth from the group into the final round of CONCACAF qualifying.
鈥淚 think we can beat El Salvador but advancing is going to be tough, even if Mexico beats Honduras, because of the goal differential [currently plus-five in Honduras鈥� favour],鈥� Wilson said.
With World Cup Russia 2018 all but over for sa国际传媒, what to do for Qatar 2022?
鈥淲e have to produce more Canadian content through the MLS,鈥� Wilson said. 鈥淲e can鈥檛 rely on Canadians playing pro overseas. The Canadians who came up in pro soccer through the old NASL was the key in my era.鈥�
