The University of the Fraser Valley Cascades men’s soccer team is heading to the Canada West playoffs.
Results over the weekend clinched the fourth and final playoff spot in the CW’s Pacific Division for the team and they will now head to Calgary to face the unbeaten Mount Royal University Cougars (8-0-6) in the quarterfinal round.
The Cascades split a pair of games at home against the UNBC Timberwolves, falling 3-1 on Friday (Oct. 21) but closing the season on a positive note with a 2-0 win on Sunday (Oct. 23).
UFV opened the scoring just 41 seconds into Friday’s game when Charandeep Rangi tallied, but the Timberwolves responded with three goals in 28 minutes to go up 3-1 at the half and that proved to be enough.
🏔️ MSOC | Charandeep Rangi gives the Cascades a dream start in the first minute! 🔥🔥
— UFV Cascades (@UFVCascades) October 22, 2022
🏔️@goufv 1
🐺 @unbcathletics 0#weclimbweconquer pic.twitter.com/P6IImPVgai
Despite the loss, a 7-0 win by UBC over UBCO meant that UFV had qualified for the playoffs.
“I thought we started the game really brightly, scoring in the first minute and then creating a couple other chances in the first 15 minutes that we probably should have put away,” stated UFV coach Tom Lowndes. “I thought we played well. Three errors have led to goals that we need to do better with, and then it’s an uphill battle playing against a good team.”
It was a different story on Sunday, as the Cascades got goals from Mateo Brazinha in the first half and Taylor Richardson - with his team-leading eighth goal - scored in the second half. Goalkeeper Jackson Lau picked up the win and the clean sheet for UFV.
MSOC | Mateo Brazinha opens up the scoring just before the half off a feed from Ajai Boparai!@goufv 1@UNBCATHLETICS 0#weclimbweconquer pic.twitter.com/RWukINR61o
— UFV Cascades (@UFVCascades) October 23, 2022
MSOC | Taylor Richardson doubles the lead in the 79th!
— UFV Cascades (@UFVCascades) October 23, 2022
What a headed finish from the senior!#weclimbweconquer pic.twitter.com/WNZJoomh5z
UFV finished the season at 7-6-2 and Lowndes said he is satisfied with his team’s regular season results.
“It’s the fifth time in seven years that we have qualified for the playoffs in the most competitive conference in U Sports,” he said. “For a small school the size of UFV and the resources this program has, that is an incredible achievement. I can’t talk highly enough about the hard work the players and my staff have put in to making this program successful.”
The Cascades playoff run begins on Saturday (Oct. 29) in Calgary.
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