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Loss to Laval winds up menB´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·™s soccer season for UVic Vikes

Vikes go 1-2 at U Sports national championships in Ottawa
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Action from the U Sports menB´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·™s soccer consolation final between the University of Victoria Vikes (in blue) and Laval Rouge et Or in Ottawa. The Vikes lost the match 3-0 Saturday (Nov. 20) to finish off their 2021 season. (Photo courtesy of University of Victoria)

The University of Victoria Vikes wound up their 2021 season Saturday (Nov. 20) with a 3-0 loss to Laval in the consolation final at the U Sports national championship tournament in Ottawa.

The Vikes put early pressure on the Rouge et Or in the opening 10 minutes, garnering a pair of on target shots, but it was Laval who scored first at the 11-minute mark.

UVIC nearly leveled the game when Ian Whibley hit a low drive from close range that was turned aside by Laval keeper Philippe Blouin.

Unable to beat steady UVic keeper Harjot Nijjar B´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·“ he finished with five saves B´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·“ through the middle of the game, Laval took advantage of a Vikes press to score on a breakaway for an insurance marker in the 70th minute. Laval added a late goal in extra time to wrap up the win.

Aiden Taylor led the offensive effort for the Vikes with two shots on target.

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The Vikes advanced to the consolation final with a 3-2 shootout win Friday over St. MaryB´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·™s Huskies from Halifax.

The back-and-forth match saw each team take the lead once but relinquish it.

After St. MaryB´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·™s opened scoring in the 15th minute on their first legitimate chance of the game, Isaac Koch converted a tap from Sergio Duran to knot the score for the Vikes in the 33rd minute.

Early in the second half, Jack Hill fed Koch with a pass and the sniper went far post to give the Vikes a 2-1 lead. But a gamble by UVic keeper Jared Perras, who came out to meet a Huskies attack in the 85th minute, did not pay off and St. MaryB´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·™s tied the score.

With extra time failing to settle things, the teams went to penalties, where UVic outscored the Huskies 3-1 on goals by Koch, Hill, Evan Libke and Russ Goertzen. Perras stopped three of four St. MaryB´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·™s attempts in the shootout.

The Vikes had been relegated to the consolation round with a 2-1 shootout loss to the University of Montreal Carabins in the championship quarter-finals on Nov. 18. UVic were outscored 4-3 on penalties in that match.

The Vikes finished the season with a 9-6-3 record overall and went 6-3-3 in Canada West regular season play to finish first in the conference.

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