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VIKES: Men's, women's soccer headed to Can West semifinals, rugby players help Canada win Pan Am gold

Core of Vikes lead Canada to Pan Am gold in rugby sevens
Vikes womens soccer
University of Victoria Vikes’ Amy Lawrence

A pair of goals by Jaclyn Sawicki gave the UVic Vikes women’s soccer team a surprise berth in the Canada West playoffs next week.

Sawicki scored the game-winning goal in the 80th minute against the Fraser Valley Cascades to give the Vikes a 2-1 win at UVic on Saturday. With the win, UVic stole possession of fourth place from the Calgary Dinos, the final playoff spot in the Canada West conference.

Goalie Steph Parker earned the win.

First place Trinity Western (Langley) hosts the Canada West semifinals on Saturday (Nov. 5) with the final going Sunday. UVic will play Trinity Western and UBC (second) will play Alberta (third) in the other semifinal.

Things are just as rosy in the men’s camp with the Vikes having swept their way through the Prairies.

Rookie Craig Gorman scored the only goal in a 1-0 shutout over the Saskatchewan Huskies on Saturday. Gorman scored again on Sunday, as did Cam Hundal as the Vikes ended a perfect weekend with another shutout, 2-0 over the Alberta Golden Bears.

Daniel Kilpatrick was in net on Sunday and Elliot Mitrou on Saturday.

The wins clinch first place for UVic in Canada West, meaning the Vikes will host the Canada West playoffs Saturday (Nov. 5) and Sunday at Centennial Stadium.

Trinity Western and UBC will play in the first semifinal, noon on Saturday. The Vikes draw Alberta in the second semifinal at 2:15 p.m.

The Canada West championship is scheduled for Sunday at 2:15 p.m.

Vikes help win Pan Am rugby sevens gold

Four ex and current Vikes were part of the first gold medal-winning rugby sevens team at the Pan American Games on Sunday.

Current Vikes Sean Duke, Nathan Hirayama, Phil Mack and ex-Vike John Moonlight joined James Bay’s Sean White and Castaway-Wanderers Nanyak Dala and Ciaran Hearn, among other players, on Team Canada.

Canada edged Argentina 26-24 in the gold medal match after a close 21-19 win over the U.S. in the quarterfinal.

Hirayama figured prominently kicking three conversions against Argentina and the U.S.