Blues Department of Athletics and Recreation
The Pacific Western Athletic Association (PACWEST) has published the men's and women's soccer schedule for the 2023 season and the Capilano Blues are opening at home against the defending conference champions.
CapU hosts the Vancouver Island University (VIU) Mariners on Saturday, Sept. 9 at Lillooet Park at the North Vancouver campus. The women's game is slated for a 1 p.m. start with the men's game following in a 3:30 p.m. kickoff. VIU claimed PACWEST titles on both the women's and men's side in 2022 at the provincial tournament hosted by Capilano.
After using Mulgrave School for home games in 2022, the Blues plan to be back at Lillooet Park for as many games as possible in the season ahead. The turf field at Fen Burdett Stadium is booked as a backup plan for Blues home games in the event of waterlogged grass at Lillooet.
Once again, the 2023 PACWEST schedule is a 12-game undertaking for each of the conference's four teams with each team in action twice per weekend over a seven-week span with a break for Thanksgiving Oct. 7 and 8.
The regular season concludes the weekend of Oct. 21 and 22 with the Blues wrapping up with back-to-back home games against Douglas College and Langara College. The 2023 PACWEST provincial tournament will be hosted by VIU Oct. 28 and 29 in Nanaimo. The 2023 CCAA national championships are at Holland College in P.E.I. for the women and at St. Clair College in Windsor, Ont. for the men. Both tournaments run Nov. 8 to 11, 2023.
Other schedule highlights for the Blues include a two-game road trip to VIU on Oct. 14 and 15 and home-and-home sets against Douglas Sept. 16 and 17 and against Langara on Sept. 30 and Oct. 1.
On the women's side, the Blues are led by captains and veteran defenders Julia Peyton and Lauren Grey. The plan is to be in contention again after a second-place finish in the regular season a year ago and a tough loss to Douglas in the PACWEST semis. Dennis Kindel's side claimed a provincial title in 2021 and will try to climb back to the top of the PACWEST heap this year.
Blues men's soccer will see many new faces this season, including head coach Steve Millar. The North Delta, B.C. native and former Vancouver 86er has been a busy recruiter this year, working to supplement key returners Adam Majuerae and Luca Martinelli. There is nowhere to go but up for the Blues men's side after they endured the first winless season in team history a year ago.
