The University of the Fraser Valley women's soccer team found the offensive outburst they'd been seeking, as they beat the Winnipeg Wesmen 6-1 on Saturday evening at Abbotsford Senior Secondary.
The CIS No. 10-ranked Cascades had felt, of late, that they'd been generating plenty of scoring chances, but hadn't had proportional success at actually depositing the ball in the back of the net.
They had no such issues on Saturday, ensuring that graduating players Jade Palm, Dayle Jeras and Shelby Beck enjoyed their final home game as Cascades. Brittney Zacharuk and Danica Kump both had multi-point games, and Beck added two assists after the trio of fifth-year athletes were honoured in a pregame ceremony. UFV backup goalkeeper Emily Harold picked up her second win in as many starts.
The Cascades improved to 8-3-1 on the season, good for third in the West Division.
Brianna Krieger scored the lone goal for the Wesmen, who fell to 1-10-1.
"I thought we played really well – passed the ball well and finished our chances," Cascades head coach Rob Giesbrecht said. "We could have had more, but to put six by a hard-working team that's well-organized, it's a good accomplishment for our girls. We should be proud of ourselves."
Kump opened the scoring early, giving the Cascades a 1-0 lead in the seventh minute. Zacharuk centered the ball from the left wing and found the fourth-year midfielder, who finished calmly into the right side of the net.
Wesmen goalkeeper Justina Jarmoszko kept the Cascade lead at one in the 12th minute. Zacharuk found some space just outside the 18 and struck a hard, rising shot towards the far corner. Jarmoszko, in full stretch, got a hand on the ball and tipped it safely over the bar.
The Cascades' second goal of the evening was found in the 33rd minute on a stunning volley from Monika Levarsky. Kump's cross into the box ended up at Levarsky's feet, and she struck the ball flush and watched it sail into the netting in behind Jarmoszko.
Beck found Zacharuk streaking down the left wing in the 45th minute. In alone, Zacharuk picked her spot on goal and placed the ball into the far side of the net to make it 3-0.
An unfortunate Wesman own-goal increased the Cascades' lead to four just moments before the halftime whistle. UFV's Sunayna Samra delivered a corner kick into the penalty area where Beck got on the end of it. It went off a Winnipeg defender on its way in, and the referee ruled it an own goal.
After Zacharuk scored her second of the game early in the second half, the Wesmen broke Harold's bid for a clean sheet in the 83rd minute. Harold made the initial save off Kamele Fletcher's strike from distance, but Brianna Krieger pounced on the rebound and floated the ball into the net to get the Wesmen on the board.
Beck earned her second assist of the evening on Gurneet Dhaliwal's goal in the 85th minute as the Cascades cruised to victory in front of a rambunctious crowd.
UFV wraps up its regular-season schedule next weekend with a pair of huge road games against the UBC Thunderbirds (Friday, 5 p.m.) and the UVic Vikes (Saturday, 5 p.m.).
The Wesmen are at home to take on the Saskatchewan Huskies (Saturday, 2 p.m.) and the Regina Cougars (Sunday, 2 p.m.).
- by Russell Arbuthnot, UFV Cascades communications staff