Both teams face strong opponents in playoff preview
By Davie Wong, Sports Editor
Week 6 of PACWEST soccer will be an exciting one for both the men and the women. The Royals will get the opportunity to take on the Quest Kermodes and the VIU Mariners. With a tight table (first and fourth are separated by six points), every game is starting to matter.
Well, with the exception of Quest for the women. Quest sit bottom of the table with five points, and definitely don’t threaten the Royals. It would be the implications of a loss that would be concerning. With such a tight table heading into playoffs, the 2-4 positions are a toss-up, and the Royals definitely don’t want to get caught up in that.
That being said, I would expect this game to be a rest one with some hesitation. Players like Sam Kell and Michelle Wessa will probably play due to their importance, but perhaps players like Mikayla Hamilton will rest for the upcoming match. Speaking of which, the Royals will take on the VIU Mariners.
The Mariners have had a bumpy year, but it’s not how you start, it’s about how you finish. The match will have some serious playoff vibes, as the time is near, and this was the gold medal game last year. Expect both teams to go all out.
I think the women will get four points this weekend. I hope they get six as it’ll make the last week much more exciting, but with the likelihood of a rest game as well as a hard game in front of them, I’m expecting four points.
Over on the men’s side, they’re looking to avenge their loss against the Quest Kermodes, and to upset the VIU Mariners. Last time they played they Kermodes, it was a rough game, but his time should be better. The men have found a vein of form and confidence. That should help their offence a bit. With Quest sitting four points below the Royals, a win here would all but lock in third place for the Royals.
The next game is the VIU Mariners. The Mariners sit top of the table but the Royals have shown that they can contest with them. It’ll be a fiery game, that’s for sure. The biggest point that should be emphasized here is discipline. It isn’t the biggest deal if the Royals lose here, but a red card could ensure one of their key players missing out of the semi-final match. That would be a disaster.
Expect the men to grab three points this weekend. If it ends up being zero, it’ll be quite concerning with playoffs right around the corner. But honestly, in the PACWEST, anything could happen.
