A visit by the UBC Thunderbirds may just be the perfect tonic as the provincial rivals pay CARSA performance gym a visit tonight and Saturday.
Coach Craig Beaucamp鈥檚 men鈥檚 Vikes have lost four of their last five games, while coach Dani Sinclair鈥檚 women are 0-4 after a 4-0 sa国际传媒 West conference run and a 7-0 mark, if you include non-conference play at Christmas.
Both are now flirting with that seventh and final playoff position in the Pioneer Division.
鈥淣ot very good, but we鈥檙e trying to fix that,鈥� said a determined Jenna Krug, a fourth-year with the Vikes women鈥檚 team. 鈥淚t鈥檚 weird that both teams are going through similar things. It鈥檚 important that we both play well this weekend and do it while we can.鈥�
Time is becoming a factor as both clubs have just six regular-season games remaining. The women at 5-9 are battling with UBC (6-8), Brandon (5-7) and Winnipeg (4-8).
In the last four games they have surrendered an average of 81 points against, while scoring 58 and one does not need a math prof to tell you those stats don鈥檛 add up to victories.
鈥淭he big focus for us is defence,鈥� added Krug. 鈥淒efensively is where we have struggled all year, so it鈥檚 important we focus on that.鈥�
But she also isn鈥檛 about to roll over on the season.
鈥淲e have to build our confidence back up this week. We all believe we can turn it around and make a run,鈥� said Krug, who will be motivated against the provincial opponent. 鈥淚t鈥檚 always a big rivalry. It鈥檚 important that we stop this losing streak and it鈥檚 good to play in the home gym after two weekends in a row away.鈥�
Beaucamp鈥檚 men, at 7-7, are in a similar Vikes鈥� boat, behind 7-5 Lethbridge and Winnipeg (where they, like the women, lost two straight last weekend). Alberta is 7-6, so is technically ahead of Victoria percentage wise with a game in hand. So the CARSA gym should be electric as the T-Birds head to town.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 the least of our worries, right now. It鈥檚 just another important game. It just happens to be UBC, but it really wouldn鈥檛 matter who. For us, it鈥檚 a matter of getting back on the positive side of the win-loss board and getting that win on the board,鈥� added Beaucamp.
鈥淲e need to come out and be competitive. Come out with a faster start and have consistent play over 40 minutes. Coming out ready and prepared off the start doesn鈥檛 guarantee you anything, but you know that if you don鈥檛, you鈥檙e guaranteed not to win.
鈥淚t鈥檚 kind of like working hard. Working hard is the price of admission. If you do that on a consistent basis, hopefully you鈥檙e in a position of having a few more positive results.鈥�
Tonight is also Shoot for the Cure night, in which fans are encouraged to wear pink for a chance to win prizes.
BEYOND THE ARC: T-Birds head coach Kevin Hanson needs just one win to pass legendary Vikes coach Guy Vetrie for career CIS wins with 246. 鈥� Mount Douglas grad Conor Morgan, in his third year at UBC, was named the sa国际传媒 West second star of the week. Morgan is coming off 29-, 22-, 14- and 22-point performances in his last four games. He鈥檚 averaging 15 points and 7.4 rebounds an outing.
