UVic women’s soccer team ready for season

The way Tracy David sees it is, you might as well start the year with a bang against a top-notch opponent.

That’s exactly what the veteran University of Victoria Vikes women’s head soccer coach and her side will face this afternoon at 2 at Centennial Stadium when the rival UBC Thunderbirds — ranked No. 3 in U Sports (formerly CIS) — roll into town to begin the 2017 Canada West season.

“It’s become the traditional fixture the last several years, so why not open with that bang,” said David. “They’re going to be great. They won a silver medal at national championships last year and won gold the year before.

“They’ve got very good veteran players like Jasmin Dhanda and Aman Shergill, who are fantastic, tremendous soccer players and leaders in their own right. They can take a game and change it by themselves. Those are key players and they have a tremendous supporting cast .”

But that doesn’t mean the young Vikes are going to roll over and die on their home turf at Centennial Stadium. That’s not in David’s make-up.

“It’s going to be a challenge, but one that we’re looking forward to and one that we will be ready for,” stressed David.

Last season, the Vikes drew 0-0 in the opener against the visiting T-Birds before succumbing 2-0 away later in the year. It’s very much a different crew as David lost the services of graduating players such as Lindsay Machin, Sarah Douglas, Samantha Lee and goalkeeper Meaghan Storie.

David has recruited well for the future, though in adding the likes of Aislinn Shinomura, Avneet Rai, Brea Christie, Dari Cote, Eyla Payne, Megan ReistMillward, Savannah Grosse and Trinity Kettyls.

“I see lots of youth, lots of speed. I’m excited about working with an enthusiastic bunch and I think we’re better in some areas than we were last year, actually, so I’m looking forward to it,” David said of the season.

The question, as is the case every year, will be where do the goals come from?

“Lindsay Machin scored a lot of goals off set pieces and Lindsay has graduated, so we don’t have anyone, necessarily, to replace her, although Emily Lieuwen can score off set pieces and she’s getting better and better at it,” said David. “We also lost Dougie [Douglas] to graduation so we look to other people to fill the void.

“That is always the issue, though, isn’t it — goal-scoring. If I had an answer for that I would be a millionaire.”

She does believe she is rich in talent, however.

“Brea is going to be great; she’s very fast. Aislinn Shinomura [who is a national youth program player] — her attacking prowess is great and with Avneet Rai — all three have played BCSPL, so it’s promising. We have a good bunch of young kids,” insisted David.

Third-year keeper Puck Louwes is also back and she recorded two shut-outs in the three games she played last season.

The leadership will come from Elise Butler (fifth year) and Lieuwen (fourth year), both co-captains. Katie Carrothers is strong at the back and Stephanie Badilla Gutierrez (fifth year) and Lieuwen form part of a solid midfield.

“We’re strong in the centre of the park, a strong centre midfield, which has been together for a few years and there is good mobility there, so we will rely on them,” said David, who added: “The goal is always the same, to get into the Final 4 of Canada West and get to a national championship.” The latter is slated for Winnipeg. The UVic Vikes men look to rebound from an 0-1-1 start last weekend by venturing to Kamloops to face Thompson Rivers today at 1 p.m., before moving on to Kelowna to tackle the UBC-Okanagan Heat at 3 p.m. on Sunday.