Chloe Gummer (centre) is one of many VIU Mariners soccer players about to play a fall season with Nanaimo United in the LIWSA. (Northfield Photography)

By Dan Marshall

Mariners Go United

VIU Mariners players seek alternate competition amid paused university season

Oct 16, 2020 | 7:05 PM

NANAIMO — The VIU Mariners soccer team will have to wait awhile before they can defend their 2019 PACWEST title and get back to the CCAA national tournament.

But most of the players are playing this fall for different local clubs.

Graduating fifth year Chloe Gummer and third year standout Cara Dunlop are among the group, currently playing together for Nanaimo United in the Lower Island Women’s Soccer Association.

There’s a strong bond with VIU’s 2019 Championship squad and Gummer said it was special to have at least some aspect of the VIU team still together.

“A lot of us are playing on one of the two Nanaimo United teams so it’s nice to have a sense of being together.

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Gummer, a fifth year nursing student, has heard speculation there may be a PACWEST season in the spring.

“I’ve been looking back at all the positives from the last four years, especially end on such a good note last year. There’s some disappointment (not to play this year) but I have to stay positive.”

Even though her PACWEST career may be over, this Nanaimo United season may be a new beginning for Gummer. She plans to continue with the club in the future.

“It’s really high quality soccer which is awesome. It doesn’t feel very different from VIU. I’m happy to continue playing with United and having fun playing soccer.”

While Gummer won’t get to play another season at VIU unless the PACWEST decides to go ahead in the spring, Cara Dunlop will.

Dunlop is in her third year and may lose a year of eligibility.

“It’s unfortunate for me but some players don’t know if they’ll come back. Especially for our fifth year players graduating this year they have unfinished business at nationals and it sucks because they won’t have school to come back to.”

The VIU team hasn’t taken the field yet as a group, substituting on-field sessions for video conferencing.

Dunlop said getting on the field with United has been a big morale boost and she’s looking forward to playing a fall season which hill happen in four team cohorts.

“It was really hard because our preseason got pushed back, our regular season got pushed back and it was almost like there was nothing to look forward to. We’re really excited to get playing against different people because we’ve been playing against the same people for all of the fall this far.”

dan@nanaimonewsnow.com

On twitter: @danmarshall77