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Goalkeeper guides host Vikes to third in CIS soccer nationals

Stephanie Parker stomped the lid shut on her tenure as a CIS goalkeeper as the University of Victoria Vikes with bronze

Stephanie Parker stomped the lid shut on her tenure as a CIS goalkeeper as the University of Victoria Vikes defeated the Ottawa Gee-Gees in the national soccer championship bronze medal game on Sunday.

The Vikes hosted the national tournament from Nov. 8 to 11 at Centennial Stadium, winning the bronze medal in a penalty kick shootout, 1-0.

Parker was outstanding in her final moments wearing the Vikes sweater, earning the clean sheet through regulation time. The fifth-year stopped three of the Gee-Gees’ four penalty kicks, including the first one off Ottawa’s Christine Hardie.

Emma Greig (Tofino), Linsday Hoetzel (Victoria), Jacqueline Harrison (Whitehorse) and Jaclyn Sawicki (Coquitlam) all scored on their attempts, earning the Vikes a 4-1 victory in the shootout.

“I didn't think about it being my last game. I just wanted to play as best as I could and get the job and here we are, bronze medallists,” Parker said on the Vikes website.

The Chemanius native has also been the goalie of the W-League Peninsula Co-Op Victoria Highlanders.

“It’s nice to win in front of the home crowd ... a bronze medal if we aren’t going to win a gold. We started slow (against Ottawa) and the last 15 minutes were our best in the tournament,” said Vikes head coach Tracy David.

The Trinity Western Spartans defeated the Vikes 1-0 in the semifinal and won the gold medal, taking down the defending CIS champion Queen’s Gaels in penalty kicks. It’s the Spartans’ third CIS title won by penalty kicks, having won it that way in 2004 and 2009.

Vikes defender Amy Lawrence and midfielder Sawicki were named to the tournament all-star team.

Greig was the top scorer in the Canada West regular season, sniping 14 goals in 12 games, including three hat-tricks. Harrison, Hoetzel and Sarah Douglas tied for 10th in scoring with six goals each. Greig and sister Brigitte, who plays defence, were named Canada West all-stars with Parker, Sawicki and Harrison.

The Vikes men’s soccer season ended back on Nov. 2, a quarterfinal loss in the Canada West playoffs to the Saskatchewan Huskies.  Andrew Ravenhill, a Claremont secondary grad, was named to the Canada West first all-star team. Defender Gavin Barrett (Richmond) and midfielder Cam Hundal (Terrace) were named to the second all-star team.

sports@vicnews.com