Not for the first time this season, former Vancouver Whitecaps FC U-23 player and Residency product Gagandeep Dosanjh set his division on fire at the weekend with a gaggle of goals.
The striker’s exploits in front of the net for the UBC Thunderbirds (five goals and three assists) earned him Canada West Athlete of the Week honours, as well as a nice story in The Province about his big season.
This was the fourth consecutive week a T-Birds soccer player has won the Athlete of the Week award. Last week's winner, Janine Frazao, also had a great story written about her in today's edition of The Province.
Elsewhere, 2012 'Caps women's team player Taylor Patterson (pictured) and her sterling defensive efforts also didn't go unnoticed down in the sunshine state, former Whitecaps FC women’s star Ranee Premji scored the game-winner for North Carolina, while goalkeepers Kayla Klim (University of Fraser Valley), Alyssa Williamson (UBC) and Kristen Funk (Trinity Western) each recorded shutouts.
MEN
On Friday night, UBC destroyed the UNBC Timberwolves 6-0 at Thunderbird Stadium thanks to a superb hat-trick from Dosanjh. He also had an assist after he cleverly set up fellow ‘Caps alum Navid Mashinchi on the game-winning goal.
In the second match against Wolves on Saturday night, Dosanjh bagged a double (including his 11th tally of the season) in the T-Birds’ resounding 5-1 win.
Rookie University of Alberta defender Niko Saler scored his first career goal for the Golden Bears with his second-half penalty kick, but a University of Saskatchewan equalizer in the 73rd minute saw the October 7 match finish 1-1.
Over at Trinity Western University, the seventh-ranked Spartans needed two second-half goals to beat Mount Royal University Cougars 2-0 in Calgary.
Trinity Western head coach – and former Whitecaps FC women's head coach – Pat Rohla was pleased with the result, which included a nice goal from former ‘Caps Prospects player Cameron Parkes three minutes from time.
WOMEN
Abi Raymer continued her terrific form up front for Missouri after the sophomore found the back of the net for her sixth of the season in Mizzou’s 2-0 win over Mississippi State on Sunday afternoon.
Down in North Carolina, Premji’s marker early in the second half guided the Tar Heels to a narrow 1-0 win against Boston College. It was the ‘Caps alum’s second goal of the season.
Heading further south to the University of South Florida, defender Patterson was named Big East Defensive Player of the Week after she helped the Bulls to two clean sheet victories on the weekend.
Williamson registered her fifth shutout for 2012 in UBC’s scoreless draw with Alberta Pandas in Edmonton on Saturday afternoon while Klim earned her first career shutout and win as the University of Fraser Valley beat the University of Saskatchewan Huskies 2-0 to clinch a spot in the Canada West playoffs.
Elsewhere, a second-half goal from senior Brandi Vega – her fifth of the season – capped Washington State’s 3-0 win over Arizona.
In Wisconsin, Whitecaps FC women’s player Paige Adams scored in the 30th minute to seal a 2-0 win for the Badgers against Green Bay Phoenix.
And lastly, the second-ranked Trinity Western University Spartans erupted for three second-half goals to get past Mount Royal University Cougars 3-0 in Alberta. Third-year player and former 'Caps Prospects player Jennifer Castillo opened the scoring one minute after the interval while ‘keeper Funk made four saves.
