VICTORIA – In just their third weekend of the season it is already crunch time for a UVic Vikes women’s field hockey team that faces an uphill battle to claim the program’s 12th national title.
Back-to-back games against the UBC T-Birds on Saturday, Oct. 7 and Sunday, Oct. 8 with both games starting at 11 a.m., will take on an added layer of importance for the Vikes.
With a new championship format introduced this season, the winner of the Canada West regular season and Ontario University Athletics regular season will meet in a best-of-three series to determine the winner of U SPORTS gold.
UBC currently sit three points ahead of the Vikes and both teams have just four games left on their schedule.
The T-Birds gained that advantage over the Vikes by picking up a 3-0 win in Victoria the last time these teams played on Sep. 17.
Last Time Out
Two goals were all the Vikes needed to pick up a sweep of the Calgary Dinos last weekend.
First-year forward Leina Dueck scored in back-to-back games to help the Vikes pick up maximum points from their trip to Calgary.
By the Numbers
3: Dueck has scored all three of the Vikes goals this season.
2: Three different players have scored two goals this season for the T-Birds, Sarah Keglowitsch, Margaret Pham and Sara Goodman.
140: Fifth-year goal Larissa Piva and the Vikes defence come into the game riding a 140 minute shutout streak.
Game Info
Saturday, Oct. 7 – 11:00 a.m. – at UBC T-Birds
Sunday, Oct. 8 – 11:00 a.m. – at UBC T-Birds
UBC T-Birds: (3-0-1)
Canada West: 1
Last Canada West Title: 2016
Last CIS Title: 2016