With one game left in the regular season, the New Westminster Hyacks are eyeing a top-three finish.
But sliding to third would be an option of the unkindest kind.
New West has suffered two losses – including Tuesday’s 1-0 setback to the Burnaby North Vikings – in the Burnaby-New West senior girls soccer league.
The other loss was a forfeit due to a lack of players. That issue continues to play a role, but head coach Wayne McCarthy believes with the playoffs around the corner that shouldn’t be the problem it was midway through the season.
“We were missing four girls who could create offence (Tuesday),” said McCarthy, “including (leading scorer) Nisa Reehal. That’s a big difference.”
New West also lost the services of midfielder Sonia Sarai at halftime, stretching the lineup with no substitutes in the second half.
Burnaby North was full marks for the win, he noted, by playing a disciplined defensive game that proved very frustrating for the Hyacks.
“They played smart soccer; they shut the door and played a simple, strong defensive game,” he noted.
The Vikings scored in the 34th minute off a turnover just outside the goal box.
New West applied some pressure in search of the equalizer in the second half, but Burnaby North’s netminder and the defence deflected each rush.
“(The Vikings) had a couple of shots in the second half and (goalkeeper Alia Homenuke) was pretty good in making the save. But we only had six, and normally we have 10 to 12 in a half.”
Turning in solid performances for the Hyacks were Grade 9 Sydney Fowler, Grade 10s Emma Celle and Christine Singh, and Grade 11 Taylor Spong.
Last week, it was the other side of the coin where New West had most of their sharpshooters in the lineup and waltzed to an 8-0 victory over Moscrop.
Georgia Brydon and Reehal notched two goals apiece, with solo markers by Sarah Gallant, Emma Pollard, Sydney Smith and Spong. Brydon, one of a few Grade 12s on the roster, also set up two others, including Pollard’s game-opening score.
When the lineup includes Brydon and Reehal, there is a good chance goals will be aplenty.
“Nisa and Georgia are terrific,” McCarthy said. “They have a nose for the net, and, not only do they get to the net, they can finish.”
Surviving the upcoming playoffs, which begin May 8, where the top-two finishers cross over to compete with North Shore’s top-two teams for berths to the provincials, will depend upon health and attendance, said McCarthy.
“We have the talent to compete, but North Shore teams are really tough. We can’t look past these (coming) playoff games,” he said. “There’s no easy road to (the provincials).”
New West wraps up the regular season today (Thursday) when they host Burnaby Mountain, 3:30 p.m. at Mercer Stadium.
