We’re almost at the pointy end of the college soccer season across North America, and not for the first time, past and future Whitecaps FC players had an impact for their respective teams on the weekend.
Ben McKendry was part of history as New Mexico hammered University of Nevada Las Vegas while Gagandeep Dosanjh contributed yet again for the UBC Thunderbirds.
On the women’s side, ‘Caps alums Jenna Richardson, Monica Lam-Feist and Taylor Shannik each bagged a brace to guide their school teams to solid victories.
MEN
McKendry had a goal and an assist in 52 minutes of playing time as the Lobos destroyed UNLV 11-0 on home turf. New Mexico had not been able to score more than three goals in a match all season up until this match.
The No.8 ranked Trinity Western men’s soccer team continues to benefit from the presence of several Whitecaps FC prospects. Goalkeeper Evan Lowther made ten saves in his team’s Canada West playoff-clinching 1-0 win over Fraser Valley on Friday.
The next day, the Spartans were in action again, securing a narrow 2-1 win over unranked Victoria thanks to two goals in the first 15 minutes of the match - one of them through Cam Parkes.
Over at Thunderbird Stadium on Friday, Dosanjh netted his 12th goal of the season in the 11th minute of the T-Birds’ 2-1 decision against Victoria Vikes. He then followed up that effort with an assist on the last goal of UBC’s 3-0 victory over Fraser Valley Cascades the next day.
WOMEN
Women’s team alum Amber Brooks had an assist for North Carolina in the Tar Heels’ big 2-0 win over fierce arch-rivals Duke.
On Friday afternoon, Oregon State junior Erin Uchacz scored the equalizer six minutes from time to send the Beavers’ match with Arizona State into double-overtime – the match eventually finished 1-1.
Two days later, Beavers star Richardson struck her team’s opening two goals to set up a 5-1 romp of Arizona.
Not for the first time this season, Whitecaps FC women’s defender Shannon Woeller was sturdy in defence to help guide Rutgers to a 2-0 shutout win over Seton Hall on Friday.
Lam-Feist chipped in with two goals to steer the Wisconsin Badgers to a 4-2 win over Purdue in Indiana on Friday, then two days later, fellow former Whitecaps FC midfielder Paige Adams assisted on the crucial leveller six minutes from time to spark a come-from-behind win against Indiana Hoosiers.
Back to Canada and the UBC Thunderbirds had a mixed weekend. Shannik had two goals and former U-18 Girls Elite team midfielder Tamara Roughead scored her first goal from 40 yards for the T-Birds as they ran out 5-2 winners over Fraser Valley.
However, that win was offset by a 2-1 defeat at the University of Victoria on October 19. Canada U-20 representative and 'Caps alum Jaclyn Sawicki provided the assist on the opening goal for the Vikes.
Over at TWU, All-Canadian goalkeeper Kristen Funk saved a penalty kick in the 59th minute before fellow 'Caps alum Boyd converted a spot kick of her own to hand Trinity Western a 1-0 triumph over highly-fancied University of Victoria. More importantly, the win also clinched the Canada West league title for TWU.
