Incandescent Royals keep burning

Women’s soccer team extends their winning streak

By Davie Wong, Sports Editor

Domination. That’s the only way to describe how the women’s soccer team has been matching up against their competition as of late. Coming off the back of three straight wins against some of the PACWEST’s best teams, the Royals came into this weekend with a record to settle against their rivals from across the Strait.

Despite a rough season to date, the VIU Mariners came into Saturday’s battle with a record of 2–1–5, and were ranked the sixth best team in the CCAA. The Royals held a record of 4–2–3 and were ranked eighth in the CCAA, as well as being the league leader in the PACWEST. It was always going to be a heated matchup, no matter how bad the rain wanted to dampen that.

Picking up right where she left off last week, Mikayla Hamilton started the action for the Royals, scoring an early volley to give her team the lead. The Royals would hold onto that lead and defend it for the rest of the first half.

Going into the second, the Royals were determined to put the game away. Mikayla Hamilton gave her team the boost they needed and put away her second of the game and seventh on the season to give the Royals a commanding lead. The Mariners did all they could to bring the game back, sending a couple players out on breaks, but Royals goalkeeper Alexa Gazzola was there to keep her team in it.

Moments later, it would be co-captain Michelle Wessa who put the game out of reach for the Mariners with a fantastic strike. From there, the team shut the gates of the Mariners, and left them out in the rain without a goal.

The 3–0 win sent a message across the league, if a message needed to be sent, that these girls were here to win, and there was very little that could stop them. However, seeding is still a very important aspect to the team’s season, and their next match was essential to determining that.

The Quest Kermodes were knocked out of playoff contention last week, but it didn’t stop them from trying to upset team’s seeding plans. The Royals travelled out on Sunday to meet with them on their field for the last time this season.

It only took the Royals 20 minutes to find a way to get on the board. Andrea Perrotta ripped home a placed shot to get the Royals up early. After a hard foul in the box, Perrotta was given the chance to double from the spot. Stepping up to her mark, she slotted home her second goal of the game, and gave the Royals a 2–0 lead going into the half time break.

Coming out of the half, Perrotta made good on her hat-trick opportunity immediately, cashing in on a shot to give herself and her team three goals on the day. However, the Kermodes would find a way to strike back. They scored their first goal shortly after Perrotta’s hat-trick to make it 3–1.

They would add another to really pressure the Royals, but ultimately fail to bring it to a tie, and the Royals held on for the win, 3–2.

The win improves them to 6–2–3 on the season, with 21 points. The team has all but secured their second best regular PACWEST season in a row, with only the Capilano Blues able to catch them. For the Blues to do that, they need to win all three of their games, including their game against the Royals, and need to win by two or more goals when they play against the Royals.

The women’s fantastic form of late is just what the team need to be at when they go into playoffs. If they play like this for the next couple weeks, they will repeat as champions easily.