Brent Mutis
CapU Blues sports info
After scoring just two goals over the middle four games of the schedule, the Capilano Blues scored six over the final third of the campaign and concluded the PACWEST regular season with a win and a tie at Vancouver Island University.
The Blues scored a 2-1 victory in Saturday’s weekend opener on the strength of a pair of first-half goals. Some good work in midfield by Tommy Millar sprung league-leading scorer Sebastian Cirotto who cut in from the right side and buried his eighth of the season. Andrew Cerqueira made it a 2-0 lead in injury time just before the break as he won the ball, cut to the middle of the park and unleashed a left-footed shot that went in just inside the right post.
VIU opened the second half on the attack and cut into the Blues lead with Brian Bland scoring a goal similar to Cerqueira’s as he cut through the CapU defence and booted a left-footed drive inside the right post. That was in the 46th minute and once again, the Blues defensive formation was put to the test for the remainder of the game. Despite sustained Mariners pressure, they held on for the win with Graydon Sherle making four saves over the final 45 minutes.
In Sunday’s regular-season finale, it was the Blues taking the early lead when Cerqueira was bumped to the ground in the Mariners 18-yard box, drawing a penalty kick. Team captain Millar was tapped to take the shot and he found the back of the net with a low drive to the left corner.
Millar’s tally almost held up but VIU equalized with just over 10 minutes remaining on a Charlie Smith goal. Capilano’s Kael Bello, who used his speed to threaten the Mariners all afternoon, almost won it for the Blues in the dying moments when he got behind the VIU defence as they pushed up field. His strike beat the Mariners keeper who was out to challenge but the ball clanged off the left post and out.
Next up for the Blues is the PACWEST provincial tournament where they go in as the No. 2 seed. They will play in the semifinal with a 2:30 p.m. kickoff against Douglas College, who snuck past VIU in the standings on the last day of the regular season. Tournament host Langara will await the winner as they have a bye to Sunday’s gold-medal game.
