While the UBC Okanagan women’s soccer team makes plans for the 2013 PACWEST postseason next weekend, the Heat men are left wondering what might have been.
The UBCO men finished in a fourth-place tie (6-5-3) with Vancouver Island University, but the Mariners earned the final conference berth thanks to winning the head-to-head season series between the clubs.
Heading into the weekend tied with VIU, the Heat lost 2-0 to Langara on Saturday, then bounced back to defeat Quest 5-2 on Sunday, as Enzo Paal scored three times.
But it wasn’t enough as the Mariners also went 1-1, losing on Saturday to Kwantlen, then defeating Douglas 4-0 Sunday to officially clinch fourth spot ahead of UBCO.
“It sucks,” said Heat head coach Dante Zanatta “Right now, it’s very disappointing…we should have been in this weekend (having) clinched a playoff spot and not being worried about it.”
While missing out on the playoffs in their last season of PACWEST is disappointing, Zanatta said his program’s future is bright heading into Canada West competition in 2014.
The Heat loses only fifth-year fullback Kennedy Hindley, with the core of this year’s team all expected to return next fall.
“When we came up this was a five-year plan, and this is year three,” Zanatta continued. “You’re seeing now the fruit is starting to show.”
Heat women in semifinal
Last year’s silver medalists, the UBC Okanagan women look for a return to the podium this weekend at the PACWEST championship in Nanaimo.
On Saturday, Claire Paterson’s crew will take on the Quest Kermodes in the semifinals.
The winner will advance to Sunday’s finale against the winner of the Thompson Rivers vs Langara semifinal.
“Overall we’re really excited to see what we can do,” said fullback Ashley Albores. “This provincials is our last chance in this league to prove why we deserve to go up (to Canada West.) We need to make a statement, for everybody and for ourselves.”
The Heat closed out the regular season in third spot in PACWEST with a 7-3-4 record, three points back of Quest.
On Saturday, UBCO shutout Langara 3-0 as Christine Tallon posted her first of two shutouts over the weekend.
In a playoff preview on Sunday at Nonis Field, the Heat and Quest played to a 0-0 draw.
“The group is great, we’re heading into the provincials with our heads held high,” said Heat forward Lana Finley, “we know what we need to do.”
Sunday was the final home game for Ashley Albores, Madeleine Greig, Taylor Sarchet, Jennifer Kidd, Hayley Uyeyama and Lana Finley who all will be graduating after this season.
The Heat soccer teams will both join the volleyball and basketball programs in Canada West in 2014.
