Preview: Mariners Take on the Blues to Start a New Season

NANAIMO - VIU Mariners women's soccer opens up the 2022 PACWEST campaign with a strong test: a pair of home dates versus the defending conference champions, the Capilano University Blues.

WHEN & WHERE

Saturday, September 10 at Beban Park Turf Fields (Second Artificial Turf), 3 p.m.
*A fan bus will be transporting fans from the VIU Residences to Beban Park.

Sunday, September 11 at Q'unq'inuqwstuxw Turf Field at Nanaimo District Secondary School, 3 p.m.

All VIU soccer games are free to attend.

TUNE IN

Home games will be streamed live on YouTube.

FRESH FACES

A new head coach, Bobbie Taylor, leads the Mariners into the 2022 season. Taylor, a decorated student-athlete, scored 13 goals in 25 games with the Malaspina Mariners before starring with the University of Victoria and getting on the radar for the Canadian National Team. This Mariners reunion also harkens back to 2000-01, when Taylor served as a Mariners coach for one season.

Taylor, along with new assistant coach Daragh Fitzgerald, also coaches with Nanaimo United FC and has recruited NUFC players Mya Creed (Nanaimo, BC), Ella Gignac (Nanaimo), and Brianna Narduzzi (Ladysmith, BC). In total, nine first-year players are on the VIU roster.

BACK ON BOARD

Defender and CCAA All-Canadian Kanae Yamamoto makes her return to the Mariners lineup after missing the 2021-22 season.

DEPARTURES

Karen Battie--one of the many talented contributors to VIU women's soccer from Ladysmith, BC, over the past few seasons--finished up her fifth year of eligibility in 2021.

NET GAINS

Fourth-year keeper Melanie Osborne (Coquiltlam, BC) earned a CCAA national silver medal with VIU in 2019 and returns for another season in the Mariners net. She is backed up by first-year goalkeeper Kaiden Thorpe (Kimberley, BC).

2021 RESULTS

VIU: 2-6-1, 3rd place in the conference. 
Lost in the PACWEST semifinal, 2-1, to the Douglas Royals.
Capilano: 7-1-1, top spot in the conference and PACWEST champions. Lost 7-6 in PKs in a CCAA bronze semifinal.

HEAD-TO-HEAD

VIU did not earn a point from Capilano in 2021, falling 5-2, 3-2, and 2-0. Courtney Ingram, Olivia Mazurenko, Sydney Kelly, and Kate Reynolds scored the Mariners goals.

WATCH OUT NOW

Capilano's veteran presence includes fourth-year student athletes Jessika Thaler, Alanah Dulong, and Aynsley Hurtado along with fifth-year midfielder Adrianna Babinski. For the Mariners, dynamic fifth-years Shea Battie (Ladysmith, BC) and Kate Reynolds (Nanaimo, BC) look to be prominent contributors, while last year's top scorer Cara Dunlop (Nanaimo) and midfielder Olivia Mazurenko (Ladysmith) will be leaned upon as leaders on both ends of the pitch.