Brent Mutis
CapU Blues sports info
Sophie Pather's exhilarating second-half goal from almost 30 yards out delivered the first win of the season for the Capilano Blues, a 1-0 victory over the No. 1-ranked Vancouver Island University (VIU) Mariners.
Coming off a difficult 5-0 setback from Saturday's weekend opener, the Blues were resolute Sunday, displaying a stout defensive game and a wonderful Rachel Laakmann save on a Mariners' penalty kick to keep the game scoreless deep into the second half.
Pather's scintillating strike came as a result of her hustle to run onto a ball put forward by Kianna Sardari in midfield. Pather made a determined run down the left side and fired a left-footed blast on first-touch from outside the area that got over the head of Mariners keeper Brooke Ingram.
Moments earlier, Sasha Faris had almost scored for CapU after more good work from Pather who delivered a pitch-perfect pass from the left side for Faris to first-touch but her effort sailed over the bar.
The game-winner was made possible by Laakmann's first-half stop on a penalty kick, taken by VIU's Courtney Ingram. Ingram was selected to take the shot after Jada Kamerman went down in the Blues area after appearing to trip up while under pressure from Isabella Bolognese. Laakmann's dive to her left denied Ingram and the Blues swarmed in to clear the rebound.
Sunday's victory got Capilano into the win column after a challenging start to the season that included Saturday's 5-0 setback to the Mariners. VIU, who came into the weekend as the No. 1-ranked team in the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA), got a pair of goals Saturday from Brianna Narduzzi on their way to the win.
Capilano is now 1-5 at the halfway point of the PACWEST season. They host Douglas College Saturday, Sept. 27 in a 1 p.m. kickoff and host Langara College the next day in a Noon start.
