Metro Vancouver, BC….. The KPU Eagles women’s soccer team clinched a spot to the 2014 PACWEST Provincials next week after today’s 0-0 draw with the Quest University Kermodes at home in Surrey’s Newton Athletic Park today. The Eagles 2014/15 regular season record now stands at 4-4-6 and 18 points, which is a five-point lead over the 5th place Kermodes at 13 points. This will be the first playoff appearance for the Eagles under the direction of first-year head coach Julie King.
Excellent saves by first-year goalkeeper Simran Meelu, Abbotsford, BC and tireless effort by the backline helped to keep the Eagles in the match. ““The result today was important for this program” stated Coach King, “The team has taken in what we have worked on and tried to apply it day-in and day-out. Keeping clean sheets has been an improvement on the program this year with two fantastic goalkeepers and a strong backline. We have also discovered good players and leaders within our team.”
This will be the fifth year in the program’s 11-year history the KPU Eagles have qualified for a spot at Provincials. The first appearance was in 2008/09 with a bronze medal finish. The second and third appearances in 2009/10 and 2010/09 resulted in PACWEST Championship banners, while the 2011/12 season ended with a fourth place finish.
The Eagles have also made three trips to Nationals, two earned through Provincial gold medals and as last year’s 2013 National Championship hosts. In 2009 the Eagles won CCAA bronze, a 5th place in the CCAA in 2010, and last year’s CCAA 7th place finish.
KPU heads to the Island for tomorrow’s final regular season match at 12:00pm against the VIU Mariners at Merle Logan Field in Nanaimo, BC. PACWEST Provincials for the women will take place in Squamish, BC hosted by the Kermodes on October 24-25th.
For more information on the Department of Athletics & Recreation, please contact Junelle Mah, sports information and marketing, at 604-786-0804 or at junelle.mah@kpu.ca.
The KPU Eagles Department of Athletics & Recreation enters its 14th season of interuniversity competition. The Eagles are members of the PACWEST conference and play in the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) with 100 student-athletes participating on eight varsity teams in men’s and women’s basketball, soccer, badminton and golf. KPU athletics plays its home games at the Eagles’ Nest (Surrey Campus), Northview Golf & Country Club, Newton Athletic Park, all located in Surrey, BC and the Ace Badminton Centre in Richmond, BC. The Eagles are active in the conference with staff members on various advisory committees and competing to host both provincial and national championships. The student-athletes are mainly from the lower mainland but KPU’s rosters have included student-athletes from North America, South America, Asia and Europe.