Story by Andy Watson (Vikes Communication)
Photos by Glenn Ivens (ISN) (www.javalon.smugmug.com)

VICTORIA - The University of Victoria Vikes men's soccer team gave the Vancouver Whitecaps a scare, pulling within one goal midway through the second half, but eventually falling 2-1 in front of 2,831 fans on a clear afternoon at Centennial Stadium.

This was the first meeting between a CIS and MLS first-string lineup, although several Vancouver starters did not make the trip to Victoria.

Jordan Harvey of the Vancouver Whitecaps controls ball in game against UVic Vikes on Sunday. (photo by Glenn Ivens)

Gooooooooal!

Davide Chiumiento (10th minute, Penalty Kick) of Heiden, Switzerland, and Matt Watson (51 minute) of Redditch, England, scored for the Whitecaps while Victoria native Craig Gorman (66 minute, Penatly Kick) scored for UVic. Elliot Mitrou of Victoria made seven saves on the nine shots he faced in the Vikes net while Brad Knighton of Richmond, Va., made one save on the two shots he faced for the Whitecaps.
UVic's Kyle Kostis eludes the check of Whitecaps' Gershon Koffie during freindly at Centennial Stadium. (photo by Glenn Ivens)

UVic closes the gap.

UVic, the reigning Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) national champion, pulled within one goal in the 66th minute when Gorman scored low on a kick from the penalty spot after Vikes teammate Thomas Mallette of Trail, B.C., was taken down in the box. Whitecaps midfielder Jun Marques Davidson of Tokyo, Japan, picked up his second yellow card of the game and was sent off with a red card on the play, forcing Vancouver to play with just ten men for the final 24 minutes.

Vikes goaltender Elliot Mitrou get his arm on a shot by Vancouver's Davide Chiumiento from in close. (photo by Glenn Ivens)

The Vikes played catchup most of the game until that point.

Second times the charm.

Gavin Barrett of Richmond, B.C., pulled down Whitecaps forward Darren Mattocks of Portmore, Jamaica, in the 10th minute and on the ensuing kick from the penalty spot, Chiumiento hit the post. However, the assistant referee ruled that Vikes goalkeeper Mitrou came off his line and consequently Chiumento had a second chance and converted.

Elliot Mitrou guesses wrong on a penalty kick by Vancouver's Davide Chiumiento. (photo by Glenn Ivens)

Vancouver led 1-0 at the half.

Watson scored in the 51st minute after a series of Vikes miscues in their own defensive zone. He eventually made a good first touch on the ball and powered the ball past a helpless Mitrou to put the Whitecaps up 2-0.

After picking up a yellow card in the first half for a foul on Vikes midfielder David Adams of Surrey, B.C., Davidson received his second yellow card of the game in the 64th minute to allow the Gorman penalty.

UVic's Craig Gorman (not shown) beat Vancouver's Brad Knighton with a penalty kick in the 66th minute. (photo by Glenn Ivens)

UVic continued to pour on the pressure and had two great chances to equalize. The first came when Mallette took a nice pass from Hundal but put it high. Hundal, the 2011 CIS men's soccer national championship MVP, recovered from losing the ball and then beat a Vancouver defender and crossed the ball from the goalie to Mallette whose shot sailed over the crossbar in the 76th minute.

Cam Hundal had a strong game for UVic, shown fending off Whitecaps' Greg Klazura. (photo by Glenn Ivens)

UVic players honor the fans after Sunday's friendly with the Vancouver Whitecaps. (photo by Glenn Ivens)

SCORING SUMMARY

Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 UVic Vikes 1

Date: Feb 19, 2012

Attendance: 2831

Weather: Partly cloudy; 6 degrees

Vancouver Whitecaps: 1-1--2

UVic Vikes: 0-1--1