Brent Mutis, CapU Sport Information & Compliance Officer
With time running down to gather some more points in the PACWEST standings and have shot at the provincial tournament, the Capilano Blues were not able to improve their position over their two most recent games.
The Blues suffered a 2-1 setback Sunday to a visiting Vancouver Island University (VIU) Mariners side after dropping a midweek game to Langara by a 2-0 score on Sept. 28
Sunday's game may have been the Blues best effort this season. Short a defender in Luke Harrop and a forward in Adam Majuerae owing to cards accumulations, Blues bench boss Dave Andreychuk moved fifth-year veteran Merlin Fisk up front from his usual midfield spot and it paid off early. Fisk was dynamic in the attacking role and capitalized in the fifth minute with VIU keeper Kevin Picard a couple of steps off his line. Fisk's left-footed lob found the back of the net to give the Blues their first lead since the Sept. 24 home draw against Douglas College.
VIU weathered the rest of the Blues early pressure and found their way level on a goal from PACWEST leading scorer Billy Bagiopoulos in the 26th minute.
MSC | The @VIUMariners tie it up 1-1 with a Billy Bagiopoulos goal. Big second half to come! #GoBlues pic.twitter.com/sEPjKefrz4
— Capilano University Blues (@CapilanoBlues) October 2, 2022
The score remained 1-1 until the late going when Douglas Mtatabikwa poked home a ball that was just out of the grasp of Blues keeper Kia Ahmadpour's reach after a Mariners corner.
In Wednesday's game, Langara hosted the Blues at Swangard Stadium in Burnaby and kept the visitors at bay while getting two goals from Taku Ota for the win. Ahmadpour made seven saves in the Blues net.
After an idle weekend for the Thanksgiving holiday, the Blues are back in action Saturday, Oct. 15 at 1:45 p.m. in a road game at Langara to be played at Burnaby Lake Sports Complex. They host Langara the next day, Sunday Oct. 16, in a 3:45 p.m. kickoff at Mulgrave School.
