A solid returning core and several talented newcomers has the University of Victoria Vikes men’s soccer team eager to re-join the elite of the Canada West conference.
The Vikes kick off the 2024 U Sports season tonight with their home opener against the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack at Centennial Stadium.
Larry Stefanek’s side will be looking to improve on a strong season last year that saw a young UVic team make it to the conference semifinals before bowing out to the eventual Canada West-champion Mount Royal Cougars.
“The goal this year is to continue building on last season, making small improvements and refining our adaptability and flexibility,” Vikes head coach Stefanek said in statement.
“We need to remain solid defensively and continue not conceding while finding offensively consistent ways to score goals.”
Scoring goals shouldn’t be a problem for the Vikes this season as senior striker and U Sports All-Canadian Javier Sagaste is returning for his fifth year.
The Vikes’ captain’s six goals last season ranked third in Canada West. Sagaste will be aided up front by the return of conference all-rookie team member Matthew Pearse.
“Matthew has amazing physicality and ability to score, which will be really important to us as we look to control the direction of the game,” Stefanek said.
At the other end of the pitch, the Vikes are also in good hands. Starting goalkeeper Callum Weir returns after spending the off-season training with Canadian Premier League side Pacific FC.
UVic’s back line includes key returnee Aiden Grew, an all-rookie team member out of Lambrick Park Secondary last season.
The Vikes finished 11-5-2 last season and will be looking to get a strong start at home [tonight and Sunday afternoon against UBC-Okanagan] as there are plenty of tough road games on tap.
They include a long trip to Prince George for a double-header against the UNBC Timberwolves on Aug. 30-31., and a trip to Alberta in late September to face Lethbridge and Mount Royal.
A strong preseason that saw UVic pick up wins last weekend over Northwest University in Seattle and Evergreen State College in Tacoma, as well as victories the weekend before over Pacwest Conference teams Vancouver Island University and Langara College, has the blue and gold oozing confidence on the eve of the season opener.
“We’re going to be expected to do well and we’re excited about that pressure to perform,” Stefanek said.
This year’s U Sports men’s national championship tournament is set for Oshawa from Nov. 7 to 10.
FREE KICKS: The UVic women’s soccer team begins its season Aug. 29 in Calgary against Mount Royal.
