Vancouver Whitecaps News Release - www.whitecapsfc.com

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

VANCOUVER, BC -- Vancouver Whitecaps FC women made an early start to the 2008 season with a 1-0 victory over the University of Victoria Vikes women's team on Sunday afternoon.

With head coach Bob Birarda away in Europe with the Canadian women's national team, interim head coach Jesse Symons was in charge of a youthful side that included several members of the Whitecaps U-18 Prospects team.

The Lower Mainland visitors had the better of the game's early opportunities, and it was only UVic's Polish-born goalkeeper Kasia Gwiazda that stood in the way of the Whitecaps, as she denied both Kirsteen Buchan and Paige Adams in the early stages.

Undeterred, the Whitecaps kept the pressure on Tracy David's Vikes and were rewarded with the only goal of the match on 34 minutes, as Buchan volleyed Tiffeny Milbrett's corner past Gwiazda to make it 1-0 at halftime.

Despite creating some decent goalscoring opportunities after the restart, the Vikes women were unable to find a way past Whitecaps goalkeeper Sian Bagshawe, as the experienced shot-stopper claimed a clean sheet in the British Columbia provincial capital. In fact, the Whitecaps could have increased their advantage in the second half, but Buchan and Katie Thorlakson were unable to find the target with their opportunities.

Symons was pleased with his team's performance on Vancouver Island. "Despite the poor playing conditions, I thought our players did well to play through the midfield," he told whitecapsfc.com.

The Whitecaps will return to UVic later in the month with their U-18 Prospects women, as they take on the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds women's side in the Keg Spring Cup on Saturday, March 29. The four-team tournament will also include hosts UVic and the Trinity Western University Spartans, with consolation and final games set for Sunday, March 30.