Regular Season Wraps Up

VIU Mariners 2 – Douglas Royals 1

The PACWEST women’s soccer season wrapped up on Sunday under less than desirable conditions in the rain and cool temperatures.

The hometown Royals opened the scoring early on when Isabelle Dobbin received a gorgeous pass to the top of the 18-yard box in the seventh minute.  She chipped it to herself and got to the ball before the challenging keeper could get there and tapped it into the open net for her seventh of the campaign.

The game remained that way until just before the halftime break.  In the 44th minute Emma Riccardi got behind the Royals defence in the crease and controlled a picture-perfect cross pitch pass that she redirected into the net to tie the match heading into the break.

After half the Mariners would score the eventual game winner in the 68^th minute.  Off a long, looping free kick right in front of the Mariners bench that travelled into the 18-yard box where Mia Creed put her head onto it to redirect it just over the outstretched arm of the Royals keeper for the game winner.  

The Mariners end the regular season with 10 wins and will play in the PACWEST gold medal game on Sunday against either this same Royals team or the Langara Falcons.

Langara Falcons 1 – Capilano Blues 1

With a Falcons tie and a Royals loss the Falcons clinch the second seed in the PACWEST Conference and will be the home squad in next weekend’s semifinal.

On Sunday the Falcons and Blues met for the final time this season.  They played to a scoreless draw in the first half before the Falcons finally scored in the late stages of the second half, getting their marker in the 73^rd minute.  Erin Bhandal brought the ball into the 18-yard box on the left side before a rocket pass to Alexa De Ruggerio to the top of the box who blasted a shot past the Blues keeper to take the lead.

With the game moving into extra time in the second half, the Falcons looked as though they would earn a victory heading into the postseason but wait.  The Blues rushed up the right side and caught the Falcons off guard, sending Sophie Pather in alone on the keeper and she scored the tying goal and final goal for the Blues this year as they will miss the PACWEST championship tournament.