Squamish: Not for the Squeamish

Mariners ride a scary goal explosion to a 8-0 win over the Brandon Bobcats at the CCAA National Championship

VIU Mariners women's soccer celebrates a goal
VIU Mariners women's soccer celebrates a goal during the bronze quarterfinal matchup with the Brandon Bobcats. Photo: Paul Yates / Vancouver Sports Pictures / CCAA
November 7, 2024

SQUAMISH - The Mariners weren't just firing on all cylinders. They were the entire engine.

VIU scored four times by the 22-minute mark of the game and led 6-0 at half on the way to a convincing 8-0 win over the MCAC champion Brandon University Bobcats in their CCAA bronze quarterfinal matchup.

PHOTOS

Concerns about the team's play in the final third in the previous day's quarterfinal were quickly alleviated. In the eighth minute, pressure from Taylor Kinley led to a foul in the box from the Bobcats 'keeper. Kinley stepped up to take the penalty and made no mistake with a low shot to the right.

More first-half goals quickly followed: 

  • 16th minute: a hot shot from Tori Hauptman off the post rebounded right to Courtney Ingram and she slotted the ball home
  • 19th minute: a Saki Meshida header off an Olivia Guild corner kick
  • 22nd minute: another rebound goal as Taylor Kinley chipped a shot over the goalkeeper after a Jade Dillabough shot went off the post
  • 28th minute: Jade Dillabough picked the pocket of Brandon's central defender, raced in on goal, and scored with her left foot
  • 35th minute: a superb Dillabough cross from the left found an unmarked Ella Gignac on the right and her one-timer flew into the top of the net

The Mariners were relentless in pressuring the Bobcats all over the field, and it continued in the second half as substitutes Emma Thornton, Amber Hawthorne, Maggie Thurbide, and Brianna Narduzzi came in. Thornton scored an early goal on another outstanding setup from Dillabough to make the score 7-0.

In the 66th minute, Brooke Ingram checked in to complete the game in the VIU goal and Tori Hauptman added a goal in the 82nd minute to complete the scoring.

Jade Dillabough (R) - VIU Player of the Game
Jade Dillabough (R): VIU Player of the Game. Photo by Paul Yates / Vancouver Sports Pictures

Dillabough was named VIU's player of the game while Brooke Ingram and starting keeper Kaiden Thorpe shared the shutout.

The Mariners advance to a bronze semifinal matchup with either the Concordia Thunder (ACAC champion) or Les Aigles d'Ahuntsic (RSEQ champion) at 3 p.m. on Friday, November 8.

For more information on the tournament, please visit the official championship website.