VIU Goes 3-0-1 Down the Stretch To Clinch Top Spot in the PACWEST

NANAIMO - The VIU Mariners earned ten of 12 possible points down the stretch to stay ahead of the Capilano Blues and clinch the top spot in the PACWEST conference. As the top ranked team in the PACWEST, the Mariners have earned a bye to the gold medal final at the PACWEST Provincial Championships, Sunday, October 30.

Week 5
Saturday, October 15: VIU 3 - Douglas 1
Sunday, October 16: VIU 0 - Douglas 0

Two weeks after the Douglas Royals earned a 3-1 win on home turf over the Mariners, VIU returned the favour at Q'unq'inuqwstuxw Turf in Nanaimo. Cries of "Welcome to the Saki Show" were all over social media after forward Saki Meshida answered an early Douglas goal with a natural hat-trick. Her goals in the 21st, 29th, and 59th minute were all the offense the Mariners would need in their first home game in over a month.

VIU outshout Douglas 11-4 in the game and goalkeeper Melanie Osborne earned the win.

The Sunday rematch was a chess match for both teams with not a lot of shots on target: four for VIU and three for Douglas. Melanie Osborne earned the shutout for VIU.

Week 5
Saturday, October 22: VIU 3 - Langara 0
Sunday, October 23: VIU 3 - Langara 0

VIU gave the home fans plenty to cheer about with consecutive 3-0 shutouts over the Langara Falcons to finish the regular season.

Saturday's shutout was especially meaningful as the team dedicated the game to goalkeeper Melanie Osborne's mother, Joyce, who passed away in June. Not only did Melanie record the win and the shutout, but the team--all outfitted in purple laces--raised more than $300 for leiomyosarcoma research.

Olivia Mazurenko, Mya Creed--with her first PACWEST goal--and Courtney Ingram scored the VIU goals.

On Sunday, the team recognized four graduating and senior players: Kanae Yamamoto, Cara Dunlop, Kate Reynolds, and Shea Battie--all considerable contributors to the women's soccer program.

The ceremony fired up the team, with Mya Creed scoring before two-minute mark of game. Jade Dillabough added two more goals in the first half, bringing her level with Shea Battie for the team lead in goals with six. Melanie Osborne made three saves to earn the second straight shutout victory.

With the victory, VIU finished the regular season with a conference-best 8-2-2 record and earned a bye to the PACWEST championship game (Sunday, October 30, 1:30 p.m.) at Mulgrave School in West Vancouver. The Mariners also finished with the most goals scored (26) and the fewest goals against (10).

ATHLETES OF THE WEEK

Meshida's goals were her first three of the 2022 campaign. After the Royals scored the first goal of the game, Meshida, filling in for PACWEST goal scoring leader Shea Battie as a central attacker, scored in the 21^st, 29^th, and 59^th minutes and earned a game-high four shots on goal. She played the full 90 in both games on the weekend and attacked with poise and control throughout, regularly dodging Royals defenders and threatening goal on numerous occasions. 

Creed, who played the full 90 minutes in both games, scored her first two PACWEST goals—both headers—as the Mariners earned a pair of 3-0 wins over the visiting Falcons. Her Saturday goal, early in the second half, gave the Mariners some breathing room after an excellent first half from the Langara keeper. 

On Sunday, knowing that Capilano was in hot pursuit in the standings, Creed scored less than two minutes into the game, setting the Mariners on the path to a regular season-ending victory. 

UP NEXT

The Mariners wait to see if they will play the Douglas Royals or the Capilano Blues in the PACWEST gold medal game on Sunday, October 30 (1:30 p.m.) at Mulgrave School in West Vancouver. The Royals and Blues will play on Saturday, October 29 at 1:30 p.m. The winner of the PACWEST gold medal game will also advance as the lone PACWEST representative at the CCAA Women's Soccer National Championship in Saint-Lambert, Quebec, November 9-12, 2022.

For more information on the PACWEST Soccer Championships, including schedules and livestream info, visit the tournament website.