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Okanagan FC knocks off unbeaten Whitecaps
Published: June 20, 2013 4:00 AM
Okanagan FC handed Whitecaps FC its first loss of the PCSL premier women’s season Saturday, edging the visitors from Vancouver 3-2 at UBC Okanagan’s Nonis Field. Jennifer Kidd and Michelle Smith notched markers in the first half to make it OFC 2-0 at the break.
After WFC narrowed the gap with a penalty shot in the 73rd minute, Lindsey Briggs connected from 40 yards out to make it 3-1 OFC.
The Whitecaps made it close with a goal in the 85th minute, but Okanagan tightened the reins and worked hard to the final whistle to preserve the win.
“It was a fantastic team effort,” said Okanagan coach Claire Paterson. “Once we got on the score board we gained some momentum and confidence that we could defend our turf. Our starting back line of Liz Babcock, Hayley Carlson, Jennifer Kidd and Justine Drosdovech really set the tone for our team defense.”
On Sunday, OFC faced Abbotsford SC who just came off a 1-1 tie with Kamloops on Saturday. With both teams fighting the heat, it wasn’t until the 43-minute mark when a 0-0 stale mate was broken. OFC’s Haylee Lakovic, who cut inside from the right side and leathered a great left- footed strike from 30 yards out for the game’s only goal. Christine Tallon earned her second shut out of the season.
Okanagan FC, now 6-2-2, is second only to the Whitecaps in the PCSL standings.
OFC will visit TSS Academy this Saturday.
Okanagan FC splits PCSL matches
Despite a split of two games at the Lower Mainland on the weekend, the Okanagan Football Club dropped into third place in the Pacific Coast Soccer League. The OFC fell 3-2 to the host Fraser Valley Action (2-3-1) on Saturday, but came back to earn a 2-0 women’s Premier Division victory against the Coquitlam Metro Ford (2-5-1) on Sunday.
Now 4-2-2 on the season, the Okanagan FC are tied with the second place Peninsula Co-Op Highlanders with 14 points, but they’ve played one more game than the Victoria-based team. The win over Coquitlam saw Christine Tallon record her first shutout of the season behind a lineup that was juggled by coach Claire Paterson.
Rookies Paige Ralston and Haylee Lakovic scored the goals for the winners. Ralston broke a scoreless tie in the 70th minute with a shot from just inside the 18-yard box. Lakovic, who will join the UBC Okanagan Heat this fall, notched her first of the PCSL season, lacing a shot from 20 yards out into the top corner of the net.
Vernon’s Michelle Smith scored both OFC goals in the weekend opener, but it wasn’t enough against Fraser Valley.
“It was a really entertaining match. We created numerous opportunities to score and played the ball around quite well,” said coach Paterson. “Unfortunately we didn’t get the result we were hoping for, but I was very happy with our effort and play overall, especially with a short bench (14 players).”
OFC women still unbeaten in PCSL play
Monday, 27 May 2013 18:00 Daily Courier Staff
A win and a tie on home turf kept the Okanagan Football Club unbeaten and in second place in the Pacific Coast Soccer League’s on the weekend. Comprised of 14 UBC Okanagan Heat players and other university/college recruits, OFC played visiting Peninsula Co-Op to a 1-1 draw on Saturday at UBCO’s Nonis Field, while the host Okanagan team (2-0-2) downed the Fraser Valley Action 3-2 on Sunday.
Michelle Smith of Vernon was the lone goalscorer for OFC in the opener. The UBCO Heat forward beat her mark and laced a long-distance shot over the head of the Peninsula goalkeeper 35 minutes into the women’s Premier Division contest. Peninsula’s only goal came at the 70th minute on a penalty shot by Jaclyn Sawicki past OFC’s Christine Tallon.
On Sunday, it was Smith again scoring first for the Okanagan squad, while OFC and UBCO teammate, Taylor Sarchet, rifled a shot to the top corner of the net from 20 yards out to make it 2-0 by the half.
Ashlee Davison slotted the ball home to make it 3-0 for OFC in the second, while Fraser Valley rallied for a pair of goals late on the game.
Okanagan FC Kick off 2013 PCSL Season with Win
Event: PCSL Premiere Womens season opener
Location: UBCO
Okanagan FC/ UBCO – 5
Goal Scorers: L.Briggs, T.Sarchet, M.Smith and M.Shannon (2)
NSGSC – 2
Goal Scorers: UBCO OG & #11
A great start to the 2013 PCSL season for the Okanagan FC / UBCO team as they claimed all 3 points over NSGSC. The scoring starting early into the game when Lindsey Briggs found the back of the net just 3 minutes in. OFC continued to press and did well to control the tempo of the game. Taylor Sarchet notched the second goal (15min) for OFC as she burst forward and unleashed a fantastic left footed strike from the top of the box that beat the NSGSC goalkeeper top shelf. Not to be outdone Michelle Smith threw herself on the end of a Jennifer Kidd free kick to score a diving header only 1 minute later. OFC/UBCO took the 3-0 lead into the half.
Second half with legs beginning to tire NSGSC created a few good chances and notched their first of the game from a corner kick at the 55min mark. OFC’s Mel Shannon responded back when she intercepted a pass and showed great awareness slotting the ball past the NSGSC gk. NSGSC got another goal when then whipped in a ball was misdirected past Chris Tallon by an unfortunate OFC defender scoring an own goal (OG – 68min). The scoring wasn’t complete as Mel Shannon found the back of the net for a second time ripping a left footed shot from the top of the 18 lobbing the gk. At the final whistle it was 5-2 in favour of the home side.
“It was a very hot day today but the players did well to leave it all on the field. Great to see us not only create but also finish a number of chances, not bad for a group in their first outting as a team.”
OFC/UBCO is comprised of 14 UBCO players along with other university/college players from the Okanagan.
Big day for Canada West as UBCO granted full membership, MacEwan becomes 17th member
CANMORE, AB – Thursday marked the end of a three-day Annual General Meeting for Canada West, but the beginning of a new path for one institution and the achievement of a dream for another.
UBC Okanagan, based in Kelowna, B.C., officially became the conference’s 14th full member, while MacEwan University in Edmonton became the 17th member of Canada West as a probationary member, effective in September 2013.
The UBC Okanagan Heat were originally granted probationary status at a vote held in May 2010 and began participation with Canada West in the sports of men’s and women’s basketball and volleyball in September 2011 and will be adding soccer in time for the 2014-15 season. For the MacEwan University Griffins, league play will begin in September 2014 in the sports of men’s and women’s basketball, volleyball, soccer and cross country.
There is another step in the process for each institution, as UBC Okanagan will seek full Canadian Interuniversity Sport membership status at an AGM that runs June 4-7 in Toronto. MacEwan University will formally seek CIS membership at the June 2014 AGM.
About Canada West Universities Athletic Association
Canada West is consistently the most decorated of the four conferences in Canadian Interuniversity Sport, winning 100 CIS national over the last 10 seasons. Comprised of 17 schools from the provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia, Canada West produces numerous major award winners and Academic All-Canadian student-athletes each year, with many going on to athletic success around the globe in pro leagues or events such as the Olympics, Paralympics or Universiade Games. @cwuaa on Twitter.
