VANCOUVER - The no. 2 ranked UBC Thunderbirds men's soccer team opens its 2011 Canada West season this weekend at home against two BC rivals.
UBC will host the University of Victoria Vikes tonight (September 9) at 7:15 p.m. in a battle of the two top teams in the Canada West preseason rankings. Then on Saturday (September 10), the Thunderbirds will entertain the University of the Fraser Valley Cascades.
No. 2 UBC Thunderbirds
2010 conference record: 8-3-3 (2nd)
2010 playoffs: 4-1 (CW champs, CIS silver)
Last CW title: 2010
Last CIS title: 2007
2011 CIS ranking: #2
2011 CW ranking: #1
Key additions: Kent O'Connor (D);
Cameron Davis (F)
Key returnees: Zack Kalthoff (GK);
Jason Gill (D);
Matt Allard (D);
Will Hyde (D);
Brandon Bonifacio (MF);
Tyson Keam (MF);
Navid Mashinchi (MF); Gagandeep Dosanjh (F)
Key departures: Graham Weber (D);
Joey Loreth (D)
UBC is ranked No. 2 in the CIS and was the clear pre-season favourite in the Canada West coaches pre-season poll. Of their 37 goals scored in 2010, 35 of those came from players returning to the Thunderbirds roster, led by fleet-footed striker
Gagan Dosanjh (Abbotsford, BC) who is back for his sophomore season.
The T-Birds are coached by
Mike Mosher and finished at 8-3-3 in 2010, losing 1-0 to the York Lions in the CIS championship final at the University of Toronto's Varsity Stadium. The team's most notable newcomer,
Kent O'Connor (Langley, BC), is a 24-year-old former member of Canada's U-20 National team, and has playing experience with German and Danish clubs as well as one appearance with Toronto FC.
Friday, September 9 – Victoria at no. 2 UBC (7:15 p.m. – Thunderbird Park)
Victoria Vikes
2010 Conference Record: 4-9-1, 6th in Canada West, did not make playoffs
Last CW title: 2009
Last CIS title: 2004
2011 CIS ranking: N/A
2011 CW ranking: #2
Key returnees: G Daniel Kilpatrick, G Elliot Mitrou, D Colin Wilson, D Bobby Eng, D James Rhodes, M Andrew Ravenhill, M Miguel Romeo, F Peter Richmond
Key additions: M Lucas Barrett, D Connor Boag, M/F Thomas Mallette, M/F Cam Hundal, M Craig Gorman, M Doug Joyce, F Kurt Macaulay
Key departures: F Justin Manz, D Harrison Kwok
VICTORIA - Under the guidance of 25-year coaching veteran Bruce Wilson, the Vikes return a number of players who took a season off and are back to help the UVic squad compete for the national title. Included in this group is goalkeeper and 2009 Canada West Championship MVP Daniel Kilpatrick, a three-time conference all-star, who joins Elliot Mitrou in a great one-two punch in goal. Kilpatrick is joined by five others who came back for this season including agile and fleet-footed midfielder Miguel Romeo, an Argentinian-born playmaker who attended high school in Calgary, six-foot-five striker Peter Richmond, midfielders Kyle Kostis and Corey Sanford, and six-foot-three fullback Colin Wilson.
The Vikes won their final three games of the 2010 Canada West season and posted an impressive 5-0-1 (W-L-T) pre-season record, outscoring their opponents 28-6. Speedy midfielder Thomas Mallette has stood out in an attacking midfield role while freshmen strikers Kurt Macaulay and Cam Hundal will provide scoring depth.
Saturday, September 10 – Fraser Valley at no. 2 UBC (7:15 p.m. – Thunderbird Park)
Fraser Valley Cascades
2010 conference record: 4-10-0 (7th)
2010 playoffs: N/A
Last CW title: N/A
Last CIS title: N/A
CIS ranking: N/A
CW ranking: #7
Key additions: Connor O'Neill, Colton O'Neill
Key returnees: Craig Robinson, Ethan Claiborne-Collins, Juan Pablo Mora Perea
Key departure: James Giebelhaus
ABBOTSFORD - The Cascades look to improve on their 4-10-0 Canada West regular season record in 2010.
Led by veteran head coach Alan Errington, entering his sixth season at the helm of the Cascades, they look to third-year midfielder Sasa Plavsic, who led the 2010 team with six goals, five assists. The Cascades will also be counting on Ravi Singh to be the main catalyst on the back line. Singh had a great rookie year marking some of Canada West's top strikers and holding them scoreless. The Cascades net will be split between two veteran UFV goalkeepers Mark Village and Colton Keam.
The Cascades top recruits include brothers Connor O'Neill, a midfielder and Colton O'Neill, a defender, the Abbotsford, B.C. products join their older brother Trevor, a midfielder on the Cascades roster in 2011.
- with files from Victoria and Fraser Valley Sports Information
