The Matchup

 
Old foes heat up a classic rivalry this weekend when the UBC Thunderbirds (6-1-5) battle the UVic Vikes (3-7) in a Thanksgiving weekend home-and-home series. The first game goes Thursday at Thunderbird Stadium (5:30 PM) followed by a Saturday afternoon (2:15 PM) tilt in Victoria.


 
The match on Thursday will be the first time the teams have seen each other since last season's nail-biting Canada West Championship final. In that game UBC scored a dramatic overtime goal to secure a 2-1 victory and earn a spot in the CIS finals.
 
Both games can be viewed live on CanadaWest.TV
 

Last Action

 
UBC scored four big road points on the weekend by beating UFV 2-0 in Abbotsford and then battling Canada West Pacific Division leaders Trinity Western to a 1-1 draw.
 

#UBC men's soccer back on the winning track after shutout at @UFVCascades: https://t.co/mgUVME38sL #GoBirdsGo pic.twitter.com/EAHfOT3G9f

— UBC Thunderbirds (@ubctbirds) October 1, 2016

 
UVic comes into the game on a three game losing streak after dropping both their weekend games, also against Trinity Western and UFV. They have not won since beating Lethbridge on September 24th and currently sit last in the Pacific Division. The Vikes are in danger of missing the Canada West playoffs for the first time since the 2010-11 season.
 
 

By the Numbers

 
3 – the number of points UBC is back of Trinity Western in the Pacific Division with three of their final four games in the home comforts of Thunderbird Stadium. UBC Head Coach Mike Mosher knows the importance of securing home field advantage in Canada West Playoffs, so expect him to have his 'Birds highly motivated to win out their final four matches.
 
.526 – the percentage of shots UBC striker Kerman Pannu takes that end up hitting the goal. The second year striker has started all 15 UBC games this year and has three goals in his last four matches.
 
 

Players To Watch

 
Manpal Brar – (#24, Forward) – the freshman forward has three goals this year - all of them game winners. Brar is quickly gaining a reputation as a clutch scorer for the 'Birds.



Titouan Chopin – (#7, Midfield) – his four goals this season are double what he put up in 2015-16, his first year on the UBC roster. Chopin scored the T-Bird's goal in their 1-1 draw with Trinity Western. It bodes well for the Thunderbird offence when both Chopin and Pannu are heating up late in the season.
 
 

Quotable

 
"UVIC versus UBC are always great rivalry games," says UBC Head Coach Mike Mosher.  "Add to that, they are not where they would like to be in terms of the standings right now and battling for their playoff lives. We will likely face a desperate team, which can always create challenges.  For us we need to start to generate some wins, momentum and consistency as we go into the last few games of our regular season's conference play and start to prepare for the playoffs around the corner."