Royals heat up and extend win streak over Blues and Mariners

The red-hot Royals men's soccer team collected their first 6-point weekend this regular season with a pair of key wins against the Capilano Blues and VIU Mariners. Their 1-0 win against the Mariners on Sunday afternoon improved their current winning streak to 3 games- marking a positive turnaround for the squad after losing their first three matches of the season. 

The match had nonstop action from the opening kick all the way to the 90^th minute.

Both teams were put to the test in every aspect of the field, trading offensive zone rushes towards the net. The Royals tallied 4 shots on goal in a scoreless first half, outshooting the Mariners 4-1.

For a good portion of the match, it had seemed likely that the game would end in a tie as both teams' backlines were unyielding. Rookie forwards Mattoe Falcone and Ryosuke Sudo looked dangerous on the front line, winning battles and generating rushes in the Mariners zone with great speed and agility.

It was not until the 87^th minute when the Royals placed themselves on the scoreboard, taking advantage of a great pass from the left corner of the field across the net towards first-year international recruit Ayman Sahmudden for a nifty tap-in goal. It marks the first of his collegiate career and went on to be the game winner.

With only 3 minutes left in the match, the Mariners gathered multiple offensive attempts to stun the Royals but could not get past their defense as goalkeeper Jacob McCall put up a great performance in between the pipes, totaling 6 saves to complete the shutout. The win tallied up another 3 points for the Royals and improved their record to 3-0-3 with a total of 9 points. They are currently placed second in the PACWEST conference.

 Quick Stats:

• The Royals outshot the Mariners 12-4 throughout the match, spending a good chunk of time with possession of the ball in the opposing zone. VIU goalkeeper Ben Chamberlin was a huge factor in keeping the Royals from running up the scoreboard after numerous close chances.
• The win puts Douglas just one point behind VIU within the PACWEST conference, with 9 points next to the Mariners' 10. They have 3 games left in the regular season.

 The Royals continue their quest to defend the PACWEST title with 2 more home games. They host the Capilano Blues on Sunday October 17 and finish the regular season welcoming the VIU Mariners again on Saturday October 23.