The Douglas College Royals men's soccer team won their last two games of the regular season with a 5-3 win over Langara College, and a 2-0 win over VIU, securing the 2nd seed in the PACWEST Soccer Championship, October 25-26 hosted by Langara College at the Burnaby Lake Turf fields.
The Royals had a slender chance at a first-round bye heading into last weekend. Multiple if-then scenarios needed to fall in the Royals favour on Saturday for them to overtake the VIU Mariners who held the top spot in the PACWEST standings. Despite nailing down their part of the if-then scenarios with a 5-3 win over Langara, the Mariners would best the Royals in the end, taking their own destiny in their hands by securing a win against the Capilano Blues. With the championship seeding locked into place, Sunday's head-to-head was an opportunity for Coach Toor to stretch the legs of some of the players on the roster and get them valuable game experience.
Looking forward, the second seed placing for the Royals sets up a rivalry match with familiar foes, the Capilano Blues in the semi-final of the 2019 PACWEST Soccer Championships. The Royals are 1-1-2 in the season head-to-head vs. the Blues with each game being a tightly contested and heated affair. In the 4-game set, 3 games were decided by 1 goal or less and a total of 18 yellow cards and 1 red card were issued.
The Royals have showed some teeth as of late, riding a 5-game unbeaten streak, netting 13 goals and registering 3 clean sheets heading into Friday's match-up. Coach Toor has his team looking to peak at just the right time.
"I think we've been moving in the right direction the past few weeks and heading into the Championships, we have definitely put ourselves in the right position. I think we are ready to go for next week. Overall the guys are coming together as a group and are playing the system and style that we have been preaching" said Coach Toor.
The winner of the semi-final match on Friday, will punch their ticket to the CCAA Men's Soccer National Championship hosted by Durham College in Oshowa, Ontario by virtue of a wildcard berth. You can watch the games online at https://sportscanada.tv/pacwest/
