VANCOUVER - In the final weekend of the Canada West regular season, the UBC Thunderbirds host the Victoria Vikes in a battle for the conference crown with a win clinching the 'Birds eighth straight CW title. Both games are scheduled for a 1:00 p.m. start on Saturday and Sunday at Wright Field.
A look at the Thunderbirds
Despite being one of the younger T-Bird squads in recent memory, this year's team has proven that experience isn't everything. At 7-1-2, the 'Birds already have one of the two CIS tournament berths from Canada West clinched heading into the final weekend of the regular season, and are in good position to lock up yet another conference title, needing only a split against Victoria to do so.
Canada West scoring leader
Victoria Pearson has seven of UBC's 19 goals this year, but the experience she brings to the team could be almost as important as her offence, as the third-year forward is one of just four players on the roster who have played more than two seasons in the CIS. Defender
Kirsten Bertsch and midfielders
Sarah MacAulay and
Kira Graham are the only seniors on the team. UBC's many rookies have made great strides in limiting unforced errors over the course of the season and they show no signs of slowing down as nationals approach, but the veteran combo of Pearson, Bertsch, MacAulay and Graham will likely be leaned on heavily come November when the 'Birds head to the Guelph to defend their national title.
A look at the Vikes
The Vikes could still leapfrog UBC for first place if they can sweep the weekend set, but they aren't even guaranteed a spot at nationals yet with the surprising Calgary Dinos hot on their trail. The Dinos won the head-to-head series with a 2-1-1 record against the Vikes this year, so Victoria must pick up at least one tie this weekend at UBC to keep their CIS destiny in their own hands. Two losses would leave the door open for Calgary to take over second place with two wins this weekend, and with the Dinos taking on the 0-10 Alberta Pandas, the Vikes can't afford to leave their fate in question.
Perri Espeseth, the lone fifth-year senior for the Vikes, leads the team with five goals on the year, putting her second only to UBC's Pearson in the conference scoring race. Third-year midfielder Danielle Henning is next with four goals. The Victoria offence has been shut out twice this year, leaving some room for improvement, but the defence and goaltending have been very consistent. The Vikes have conceded more than one goal just once this year, and it was a game they still managed to win 3-2 over UBC.
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