VICTORIA – Rain and strong winds couldn't stop a great match from taking place at the University of Victoria on Saturday, as the UBC Thunderbirds and Victoria Vikes battled to a scoreless draw at UVic Field 2.
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UBC goalkeeper
Chad Bush made three saves for the shutout. But the best defensive performance of the game for the Thunderbirds may have come from
Bryan Fong, who was crucial in shutting down an active UVic attack all game.
"Unfortunately another frustrating day and 0-0 where we have created enough good chances to score but just can't bury one," said UBC Head Coach
Mike Mosher. "We had a couple one on ones with their keeper and failed to score." Â
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It was the second game in three days for the two teams, after UBC held off a Vikes comeback on Thursday to take a 3-2 victory in Vancouver. While the Thunderbirds, who are battling to keep their lead atop the Pacific Division, leave with four big points, the Vikes showed some excellent resiliency in both games.
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Poor weather conditions forced the match off of the Centennial Stadium grass pitch and onto a turf field. It was a late change that looked like it might benefit the Thunderbirds—a turf team—over UVic.
But the Vikes, who entered last in the Pacific Division with a 3-8-0 record, didn't look out of place against a tough opponent, accumulating their fair share of chances and getting some excellent play from goalkeeper Jasdeep Lally, playing in his first action of the season. Lally finished with six saves.Â
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"The first half was lack luster but in the second we did much better," added Mosher.  "So, on the bright side we are creating chances and Chad did not have too much to do in our own end."
The Thunderbirds close out their season on October 21st and 22nd, when they host UBC Okanagan and Thompson Rivers at Thunderbird Stadium in Vancouver.
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