The Mariners and Douglas College battled to penalties in the PACWEST final in Nanaimo just over a week ago, with both teams ultimately advancing to Nationals. (Mary Kessenich/VIU Mariners)

By Alex Rawnsley

Going for Gold

VIU Mariners men’s soccer team kicking off CCAA nationals in Windsor

Nov 7, 2023 | 10:21 AM

NANAIMO — After falling short at Nationals last season, the VIU Mariners men’s soccer team is embarking on another opportunity to be Canada’s best.

The Nanaimo based Mariners will open the CCAA Men’s Soccer National Championship, hosted by St. Clair College in Windsor, Ontario, on Wednesday, Nov. 8 with a 7 a.m. (pacific time) kickoff against Kitchener’s Conestoga College.

Head coach Kevin Lindo told NanaimoNewsNOW it’s an immensely challenging start to the tournament, as the Mariners are being tasked with defeating a team with perfect 10-0 record this season.

“We have to really do well at what we can do. We have to find a balance [between offence and defence] of focusing on what we can do well while understanding their strengths and weaknesses, but we can’t sit back too much as this is Nationals. We’ve got to put our best foot forward.”

The Mariners qualified for Nationals as the wildcard team, by reaching the final of the PACWEST tournament against Douglas College last weekend.

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VIU hosted the tournament with the Mariners falling in a shootout in Nanaimo.

Lindo said the experience was challenging, given Douglas had their goalkeeper red carded early in the second half, but the team has moved on.

“You have to learn from the defeat, take the positives and move on to new, fresh challenges. The goal was always to get to Nationals, so in that sense we’ve achieved that goal and we’re onto the next thing.”

The Mariners men’s soccer team arrived in Ontario very early Monday morning, two days out from their first game at Nationals. (VIU)

The team left Nanaimo early Sunday morning and arrived in Ontario after midnight Monday. Practices for all teams took place on field on Tuesday, Nov. 7 ahead of the tournament starting the following day.

Travel could actually benefit the squad as Lindo said some felt the pressure of playing in front of a home crowd with such high stakes last weekend.

“Some of the guys mentioned, having a home provincials in front of our own crowd was way more stressful than they feel about going out this week to Nationals. Being away, having a bit more of an experience, being able to take everything in is probably going to take some stress off their shoulders.”

Lindo said the squad is as healthy as possible after a grueling PACWEST season and provincials tournament.

One major question mark with the team is a potential return of Vasilis Bagiopoulos, who fractured his foot mid-season.

Lindo said prior to provincials Bagiopoulos was a potential option, but did not suit up in either game at the tournament.

If the Mariners win Wednesday, they will play the winner of Ahuntsic/University of King’s College game, on Thursday, Nov. 9 at 12 p.m. local time.

Should the Mariners fall in their opening game, they would play on Thursday at 7 a.m. against the loser of the Ahuntsic/UKC game.

— with files from Dan Marshall

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