Getting back to the nationals is a goal for the Douglas College men’s soccer team.
The third-place-finishing Royals take on league runner-up Langara College in the opening game of the PacWest men’s provincial soccer tournament in Nanaimo on Saturday.
The medal matches will all be played on Sunday at Nanaimo Turf Fields in Nanaimo.
The Royals had less than a week to prepare for the provincial college finals after coming away with just one win and a tie in its last four regular season games.
Douglas, which had a similar 1-2-1 start, went on a six-game winning streak midway through the season, including a 2-1 victory over Langara.
“We had a reality check two weeks ago,” said first-year co-head coach Robby Toor.
On that weekend, the Royals dropped a 3-0 decision to eventual regular season champion and nationally No. 2-ranked Thompson Rivers University, before coming back to tie UBC Okanagan 2-2.
“That was a character 2-2 tie to come back like that,” Toor said, adding last weekend’s 1-0 win over Capilano put the Douglas team back on track.
With a playoff berth locked up, Douglas rested many of its starters in the final match that resulted in a 4-0 loss to provincial host Vancouver Island University.
“I think we’re going in (to the provincials) ready and prepared,” added Toor. “The seniors were itching for the provincials after last year’s semifinal loss in the nationals.”
There are lots of reasons for Toor’s optimism.
Douglas boasted four players in the top-10 PacWest scoring this season.
League first team all-stars Shail Sandhu and Javid Khan scored six and five goals, respectively, this season for the Royals.
Shahbaz Khattra, who was a consideration for PacWest rookie of the year, was fourth overall in league scoring this season with six goals in just nine games. Khattra earned a second team all-star nod.
Douglas keeper Marc Mincielli finished second overall this season, posting a 1.24 goals against average and three shutouts.
Langara goalie Noah Pawlowski led the PacWest with seven clean sheets.
Langara also placed four players on the first team roster, including top rookie Carlos Marquez
Thompson Rivers had five players earn all-star mentions.
TRU’s Justin Wallace and Oriol Torres finished one-two in PacWest scoring with 12 and 10 goals, respectively.
“Langara is a good side. They are well coached and had a turnaround season after not making the playoffs (last season), said Toor. “They are bigger than we are, with a big back line.”
The top-three PacWest teams all figured in the top-15 polling nationally.
TRU moved up from third, while Langara improved to seventh in the country following a win over UBC Okanagan and a scoreless draw with Thompson Rivers to end the season. Douglas held steady at No. 11.
While Douglas has just eight returning players and 14 freshman, Toor believes the Royals’ skill and speed are enough to put the New West team through to the final.
“We definitely have a different mix. This year, we are not as big in the back, but they’re definitely sound, and we work well up front,” he said.
