Wednesday, November 11, 1998 - North Shore News - 39

NEWS photo Cindy Goodman

‘APILANO College women's soccer team (above) returned to the school’s North Vancouver campus from Kamloops as national champions on Monday.

NV college claims
third soccer title
in four years

Andrew McCredie

Sports Editor
andrew@nsnews.com

- HE’S coached the Capilano
College Blues to three
women’s national soccer
titles in the last four years,
‘but the third was by far the
sweetest for Doug
Abercrombie.

“The first. one will always be

4 ‘great, but this one was’ sweet,” the
Blues’ head coach said after auiding
“his tam to a 3-1 ory over
University College of the Cariboo at
the Canadian college seccer cham-
pionships in Kamloops. “It was
sweet because it was in front of a

BADMINTON...

home province crowd and probably
the’ biggest one we've ever played
against.”

The 500 or so spectators. —
admittedly there to support - host
team Cariboo — were a far cry from
the “three or four” who sat in the
metal bleachers during the Blues’
national championship victory over
Cariboo in Kingston two years ago
(“And I think they were only watch-
ing. because they were resting trom
walking their dogs,” Abercrombie
added).

The Blucs w

heavy favourites

going inte. the nationals, and when

riboo lpsct sumber-one seed
John Abbott Islanders in the semi
Abercrombie and his team: knew
they had a good chance of winning

the nationals once again. The Blues.

have played Cariboo six times in
recent provincial) and national
championships and defeated them
each time.

Saturday's national final game in
Kamloops would be no different,
though the Blues were dawn 1-nil

Anna

BLUES' forward Diana Artuso
scored ail three Capilano
goals in the Canadian cham-
pionship.

at ch :

“The pla n't panicking
at all at the ” Abercrombie said,
adding that he reminded his team
they were also down to bath SFU

athletes epitomize the dedi-
commitment

cation — and

_ three
"national
“This year’s team had a bunch of

“and UBC in pre-season exhibition

games and managed to come back
to. beat SFU and tie the
Thunderbirds.

“Someone just. said let’s get a
goal in the first minute and we'll be
fine.”

Fitty seconds into the second
half Capilano forward Diana Artuso
scored the first of her three second
period goals. The Blues were on

_ their way.

“From then on all our passing

' started. to come together,” Artuso,

the tournament MVP, said.
Artuso was a first-year player
cars ago when Cap won the

us who started out together on that
team so it was really great to end
like this,” the talented torward said,
adding that she thinks. this year’s
national cham jonship team is more
talente {than the 1996 squad.
yone on this team has
amazing ability,” added
Abereromb: and credits

BASKETBALL... Capilano

much of his program’s success over
the past four years to the strong soc-
cer communities of the North Shore
and Burnaby, the areas the team
tends to draw new players from.
Artuso attended Notre Dame in
Burnaby.

“You get consistent quality play-
ers coming out for the team each
year,” he said of the college’s repu-
tation among young women play-

rs. “And sometimes that can be a
problem because some students will
not come here because they think
they won’t make the team.”

The Blues had little trouble lead-
ing up to the championship game in
Kamloops.

They dispatched King’s College
10-nil in their tourney opener, then
beat Mount Royal 4-nil co qualify
for the gold medal match.

Capilano’s Artuso and Kelly
Donaldson were named as Canadian
College Athletic Association All-
Canadians. Donaldson is also one of
five nominees for CCAA Plaver of
the Year honours.

begins Friday with Cap teams
in Kelowna taking on. the

Rice is one of two athletes to
receive’ a S500. scholarship
from Badminton B.C. |
The North Vancouver
native and Victoria’s Kvle
Foley were named as win-
ners of the scholarships last

Rice, currently > studying
at the University of British
Columbia, has played the

was eight vears old, This past
ason has been the b
ever on court for Rice
this summer’s Pan An
Junior Champions lips in

in mi “doles,
She also won the .N
under-19 tithe, 0
“Bath of these: stukent-

sational

involved in competing as an
elite athlete. as well. as
remaining at the top or their
class academically,”
Badminton B.C. pr nt
Erica MeMaster said of the
two, “From the depth of the
applicants it’s quite apparent
that the future of badminton
is very bright.”

College teams won exhibi-
con pre-season games over
the University of Northern
British Columbia last week-
end.

The men Blues downed
UNBC 69-41, while the
women Blues won their
exhibition game 56-39.

B.C, College league play

Okanagan Lakers.

The Blues first home
stand isn’t until Friday, Nov.
27,

HIGH SCHOOL FOOT-
BALL... Three of five North

See more page 40 |