VANCOUVER, BC – The 2013 college season is underway and it’s already been an eventful one for Vancouver Whitecaps FC prospects and alumni – on both sides of the border.
In Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS), Whitecaps FC U-23 and former Residency midfielder Cam Hundal was a standout for the University of Victoria Vikes in their opening weekend, while Residency grad goalkeeper Callum Irving is off to a spectacular start in his sophomore season with Kentucky Wildcats.
On the women’s side, a pair of former ‘Caps continue to impress at Washington State and recent Girls Elite grad Lucielle Kozlov had a big game for Dartmouth College.
Men:
Irving, 20, has yet to concede a goal in two appearances this season. The Vancouver-born netminder posted his second straight clean sheet September 8 as Kentucky cruised to a 4-0 win over IPFW. Irving now has three shutouts in five career starts.
Another member of Whitecaps FC’s goalkeeper union, freshman Sean Melvin started both matches for the University of North Carolina-Wilmington over the weekend at the UNCW Hilton Garden Inn Classic. The Victoria native made two saves in a 2-1 loss to Presbyterian and three saves in a 3-1 win over Mercer. Through four matches, Melvin has now posted a sparkling 0.96 goals against average.
After leading the University of Northwestern Ohio in scoring as a freshman, former Residency midfielder Wesley Cain transferred to Wright State University this season and picked up right where he left off. The Guelph, Ontario native scored his first goal for the Raiders September 6 as Wright State opened their season with a dramatic 3-2 win over Marshall.
Meanwhile, the nationally fourth-ranked University of British Columbia Thunderbirds opened their Canada West campaign September 6 with a 4-1 over the University of Victoria Vikes, and a number of ‘Caps U-23 players were involved.
In fact, three of them combined for freshman Niall Cousens’ first league goal of the season. Vancouver’s reigning PDL leading goalscorer headed home a Reynald Stewart cross to give the Thunderbirds a 3-1 lead. Former Residency midfielder Greg Smith was awarded the second assist.
Harry Lakhan and Navid Mashinchi also picked up assists in the victory.
The University of Victoria Vikes bounced back from their defeat to UBC in convincing fashion with a 4-0 win over the Trinity Western Spartans September 9. Hundal opened the scoring in the 33rd minute and added an insurance marker from the penalty spot in stoppage time. For his efforts, the Whitecaps FC U-23 midfielder was recognized as the Canada West second star of the week.
Trinity Western fared much better in their season opener – a 2-1 win over the Fraser Valley Cascades. Former Whitecaps prospects Carlos Del Aguila and Evan Lowther both had a hand in the result. Del Aguila scored the winner in the 33rd minute while Lowther made three saves en route to the victory.
Women:
The Washington State Cougars remain undefeated in five matches this season thanks in part to the play of former Whitecaps FC women’s players Nicole Setterlund, Gurveen Clair andKatie Turney. Both Setterlund and Turney were nominated for Pac-12 Player of the Week for their efforts.
Setterlund scored the winner in Washington State’s most recent outing – 1 -0 victory over Weber State. It was her second goal of the season. The Cougars have now posted four straight clean sheets and Clair appeared between the posts in each of those matches.
Things aren’t going as well for the ‘Caps contingent at Oregon State, where the Beavers lost both their matches this past weekend. However, Vancouver-born striker Chelsea Buckland scored in a 1-1 draw with Wisconsin earlier in the month.
Kozlov, meanwhile, had a big game for Dartmouth College in a losing effort September 6. The sophomore striker scored a goal and an assist as the Green suffered a 5-3 defeat at the hands of Purdue.
Fellow Girls Elite grad Lindsay Johansen had an assist in in Arkansas State’s 7-0 thrashing of Grambling on September 8.
In Canada West play, Jaclyn Sawickiscored the winner for the University of Victoria Vikes in their season-opening 4-1 victory over UNBC on September 7, while Carly Radomski picked up an assist for the University of Fraser Valley Cascades in their own win over the Timberwolves.
