MARINERS MEN’S SOCCER | THEY COULD RUN AWAY WITH IT

By Randy Wachtin
Incider.ca

Bill Merriman, head coach of Vancouver Island University’s Mariners mens soccer program has an enviable problem.

Every player in his pre-season camp has the ability to be a starter on his team. Roster limits imposed by Canadian Colleges Athletic Association means difficult decisions are coming down the road.

With many players returning from their silver medal provincial season a year ago, it is the first year recruits & walk-ons raising eyebrows of the coaching staff. Nervous, and rightly so, are the veterans of a quality team.

Their spots are not chiseled in stone, and they know it.

Players are fit and already in game shape. A lengthy list on the VIU pre-season roster competed with Highlanders FC, Highlanders Reserves and Victoria United this past summer including Jared Stephens, Dano Cato, Davis Stupich, Chris Arnett, Ben Leggett, Chris Merriman, Romaie Martin, Ishimine Akihiro and Yoshi Wantanabe

The boys have three games under their belts in pre-season scrimmage tests with positive results that will capture your attention. A 5-0 winning score vs. Nanaimo United got the wheels rolling. A 1-0 defeat to Provincial Senior A Champion Gorge FC was no setback by any means. The result confirmed the small island university program has a competitive pool of players.

The head turner happened this week with a solid 2-1 victory versus University of Victoria’s Vikes men’s program.

Stephen Ewashko opened the scoring on a first half penalty from the spot. Jarred Stephens netted the bomb to break a 1-1 tie in the second half for the winner. A first time victory over their Vancouver Island cousins.

Merriman is keeping expectations in check. He knows the boys are in a tough provincial conference. It has been a dozen years since the school from Nanaimo has captured a provincial crown and their only national banner was captured in 1983.

While Incider will refrain from creating hub city hype, there is a hint that fans of soccer in Nanaimo are in for something special this fall. This is a team that contains a wealth of skill, speed, size and deft ability. They’re going to be an entertaining group to watch.

VIU Mariners conclude their exhibition schedule with an away test in Burnaby, Saturday, Sept. 4 vs. Simon Fraser University. This is SFU’s first season competing in the NCAA Div II standard in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference. Kick off is 12 noon at Fox Field.

For fans in Nanaimo, VIU’s BC Colleges Athletic Association league home opener vs. Quest University is scheduled Saturday, Sept. 11, 3 p.m. at Mariner Field.

VIU RAMPING UP FOR 2010-1 SEASON

By Brent Dunlop

(ISN) — VIU Mariner Athletics is gearing up for the 2010-11 season …

The women’s soccer team has just  departed on its California tour , while the men’s team battle the Nanaimo United and Gorge FC on the weekend.

On the 17th the the women play San Diego Mesa, 19th Vanguard @ LA, 20th Cal State San Marcos, returning home on the 22nd.

Our Men’s soccer teams played some exhibition games this past weekend in Nanaimo on the Merle Logan field.

Saturday the VIU men’s soccer team played against a young Nanaimo United FC Div 2 and came away with a 5-0 win, both teams using the game to see how the new players looked for their up-coming seasons.

Romain Martin made a nice play down the sidelines and knocked in a cross that Jared Stephens was able to get on the end of and put VIU up 1-0 12 min into the game. Then 20 minutes later first-year players Dan Citra and Chris Merriman off a set piece to help Jared Stephens collect his 2nd goal of the game.

Aki Ishimine finished off the 1st half with a goal, set up by some nice individual work by Stephen Hill. The team played well the first half passing the ball well and playing with a high work rate.

The second half was a lot like the first with the team working hard to keep possession and winning the ball back if they lost it. Merriman connected with Jarred Stephens once again tow minutes into the second half to give VIU a 4-0 lead and Jared Stephens collecting a hat trick.

Then Chris Arnett with the goal of the day, the play starting with some three-way passing between Merriman, Matt Mehrassa and then Aki Ishimine laying a ball back to Arnett who hits it from 20 yards, top corner. Ben Leggett anchored the back line with Robbie Cochrane and Daniel Mercer combining for the shutout.

It was good to see a number of first-year players fit in so well with our returning players. The chemistry of the team was very good and they still have a few more players coming in that will add to the team.

Sunday VIU lost 1-0 to Gorge FC, VIU’s assistant coach James Merriman and his Gorge FC are preparing to represent BC in October at the upcoming National Championships.

These spectators were treated to a great game. Played very close with good ball movement and scoring chances at both ends of the field. The Mariners worked hard and showed good character after their hard training sessions during the week and a game the night before.

The game against a very talented and experienced team was a perfect match up for the Mariners this early in their pre-season; they got an idea of the focus and commitment it takes to get to the Nationals. There was a lot of positives taken away and despite losing a close one the team felt good about their over all performance.

Ben Leggett, Mat Rigden and Chris Merriman did well in the back line with Kyle Bate, Aki Ishimine and Matt Mehrassa strong in the midfield and Jared Stephens battled hard up front.

Next game for the VIU Mariners is against UVIC in Victoria on on August 25th. Then the Mariners travel to Burnaby to play SFU on Sept 4th.

VIU MEN’S SOCCER TEAM WIN BIG GAME SATURDAY AGAINST QUEST

VIU WOMEN BLANK QUEST 2-0

By Brent Dunlop

The Vancouver Island University Mariners scored two late goals to win 2 – 0 against Quest University Canda Kermodes and continue the hunt for first spot.

It was nice for the team to have a home game after being away for the last three weeks.

Jared Stephens and Robbie Cochrane did not disappoint the home crowd.  Jared scored two goals, the first was a header off a free kick from Yoshi Watanabe, then his second goal after Davis Stupich ripped a shot off the cross bar and Jared worked hard to put in the rebound.

Robbie Cochrane went to work late in the game to come up with some great saves to help VIU shut down Quest and get full credit for his sixth shutout.

Chris Arnett put in his usual miles of running and hard work in the midfield, along with Davis Stupich who played a couple of different positions to help Mariners get the job done.

The team received some good news this past week as they climbed up into the National Rankings for the first time in a while.

This weekend coming up VIU will be playing two very important games. Saturday vs Langara and Sunday vs first place Capilano.  VIU trails Cap by two points, so first place will be decided this weekend.

Women’s Soccer
VIU- 2, Quest – 0

Caity Genereaux (Duncan) opened the scoring for the Mariners in the 10th minute, a Brianne McKenzie (Campbell River) corner kick was tucked away nicely by Genereaux, goal came after sustained pressure by VIU.

Emily Nicholson (Tsawwassen) twice found herself in alone against the Quest keeper to add to the lead but was stopped both times,

Carly Willgress (Nanaimo) also had a great first half opportunity but shot wide, this came after a great buildup by the Mariners. Aileen Holder (Winnipeg) again off a corner shot it over the net from six yards out.

VIU continued to press at start of second half for their second and were rewarded when Kate Flynn (Nanoose) in the 60th minute beat Kermodes keeper from a tough angle. Courtney Crucil (Nanaimo) played goal for injured and regular Mariners keeper Hollis Roberts (Courtenay).

“We played a real solid game from start to finish, our defense and midfield were real good today, I was really happy with our subs today and Courtney in net was great, we are getting back to playing at a high level again and this is the right time of the season for that, girls are having a lot of fun playing out there,” said Anup Kang Head Coach VIU
women’s soccer team.