EDMONTON – Hailey Lavarias and Mitch McCaw are the Canada West first stars of the week following a pair of historic weekends.
Lavarias became the first Manitoba Bisons women's soccer player to score four goals in a game Saturday, when she accounted for all of the Herd's offence in 4-0 blanking of crosstown rival Winnipeg.
Also on the pitch, McCaw posted back-to-back shutouts against UNBC to run his shutout streak to six consecutive games. That is the longest single-season shutout streak in CW since 2008 and the longest in UBCO program history.
In addition to Lavarias and McCaw earning soccer star status, a trio of Canada West hockey players earned stars after big opening weekend performances. Bailee Bourassa had a pair of goals for Saskatchewan, as the Huskies split their opening weekend series with the Regina Cougars. On the men's side, Austin Vetterl scored four goals in UBC's road split against Manitoba, while Alberta's Luke Philp took the early season points lead with a combined six assists in the Bears sweep of the Mount Royal Cougars.
You can catch every Canada West hockey game this season, along with select soccer games by tuning into Canada West TV.
Women's first star – Hailey Lavarias
Manitoba Bisons soccer
Midfielder
2nd-year
Winnipeg, Man.
University One
Game log: Saturday, Oct. 7 – four goals in 4-0 W vs. Winnipeg / Sunday, Oct. 8 – one shot in 0-0 D @ Winnipeg.
The Bison women's soccer team extendd their unbeaten streak to four matches by taking four of a possible six points in a home-and-home weekend series against Winnipeg on October 7-8.
Bison second-year midfielder Hailey Lavarias set a new Bison record and tied for fourth most conference goals in a single game when she registered four goals in a 4-0 home win over Winnipeg on Saturday, Oct. 7.
To start the weekend, the Winnipeg native was on fire throughout the game as she scored twice in the first half and twice in the second half. The 5'3" midfielder started the scoring in the 37th minute after potting a rebound and then headed her second tally at the 44-minute mark. Lavarias scored again in the 63rd minute off a rebound and finished the day with a hard shot into the left corner in the 85th minute mark to cap her four-goal barrage.
The next match, Manitoba tied 0-0 at Winnipeg and Lavarias added one shot while playing 45 minutes.
Lavarias is tied for fifth in the conference with five goals and is tied for ninth in CW points with seven, while starting and playing in all 10 conference matches in 2017.
The Bisons (3-4-3) sit sixth in the Prairie Division and host the UNBC Timberwolves (2-7-1) and MacEwan Griffins (6-4-0) this weekend.
Men's first star – Mitch McCaw
UBCO Heat soccer
Goalkeeper
5th-year
Calgary, Alta.
Management
Game log: Saturday, Oct. 7 – two-save shutout in 0-0 D vs. UNBC / Sunday, Oct. 8 – three-save shutout in 0-0 D vs. UNBC.
With two more shutouts this past weekend UBC Okanagan goal keeper Mitch McCaw has set a modern day (2006-present) in-season Canada West conference record with six consecutive clean sheets.
609 minutes without allowing a goal for the Heat keeper has kept his team in the middle of the playoff race in the Canada West's Pacific Division although UBCO was also not able to spin a goal in their two matches versus UNBC this past Saturday Sunday.
The pressure mounted on McCaw as the minutes ticked by and the matches remained scoreless. On Saturday, he recorded two saves against UNBC – a team that just the previous weekend upended UBC. On Sunday with both squads pushing to find that elusive goal, the fifth-year senior was forced into more action and forced to make only three saves but all three were solid chances for that Timberwolves that McCaw deftly turned aside.
With the help of his backline and McCaw controlling the box, the Heat established a pace of play for the match that didn't allow UNBC to build any momentum. McCaw used his entire 6-foot two frame to handle the corners and free kicks aimed his way.
With the increase in winning percentage, UBC Okanagan now find themselves in second-place in the divisional with a tough road trip this weekend with matches in Victoria on Friday night and in Vancouver at UBC on Saturday.
Women's second star – Rachel Hutchinson
Trinity Western Spartans soccer
Forward
3rd-year
Cloverdale, B.C.
Biology
Game log: Friday, Oct. 6 – one goal and four shots in 5-0W vs. Fraser Valley / Sunday, Oct. 8 – one goal and two assists in 4-0 W @ Fraser Valley.
Rachel Hutchinson collected four points over the weekend, scoring twice while adding two assists in back-to-back Trinity Western wins against Fraser Valley. With her two goals, the third-year striker extended her goal-scoring streak to four games. She now has points in six of TWU's last seven contests.
Her team-leading six goals has her tied for third in Canada West, while her four assists on the year has her in tied with Seina Kashima atop the Spartans leaderboard and tied for fourth in the conference.
With her six goals through 10 games, she has already eclipsed her career-best for goals in a season. During her rookie season in 2015-16 when she was named the U SPORTS Rookie of the Year, she scored five goals in 14 games.
Hutchinson's performance helped the Spartans earn their seventh straight victory and their seventh consecutive clean sheet.
With their weekend sweep of the Cascades, the Spartans moved into first place in the Pacific Division. Hutchinson and her teammates are back at home this weekend when they host Regina Friday and Saskatchewan Saturday.
Men's second star – Austin Vetterl
UBC Thunderbirds hockey
Forward
3rd-year
Surrey, B.C.
Sauder School of Business
Game log: Saturday, Oct. 7 – two goals including the game-winner in 604 W @ Manitoba / Sunday, Oct. 8 – two goals in a 3-2 L @ Manitoba.
The third-year forward Austin Vetterl stormed out of the gate to start the 2017-18 Canada West season this past weekend, scoring four goals in UBC's first two games against the Manitoba Bisons in Winnipeg.
The Surrey, B.C. native scored two times within a 1:15 span in the third period on Saturday, the second of which proved to be the game-winner. The following afternoon Vetterl scored another pair of goals in quick succession, this time 3:18 apart in the first period.
Vetterl's four goals has him alone atop the Canada West in terms of goal scoring through two games. Last season, Vetterl finished tied for the team lead in assists with 16 and was second in overall team scoring with 24 points while adding two assists in two playoff games.
The Thunderbirds host the Calgary Dinos in their home opening series this Friday and Saturday.
Women's third star – Bailee Bourassa
Saskatchewan Huskies hockey
Forward
2nd-year
Weyburn, Sask.
Nursing
Game log: Friday, Oct. 6 – goal in 3-2 L vs. Regina / Saturday, Oct. 7 – goal in 4-3 W @ Regina.
University of Saskatchewan Huskies forward Bailee Bourassa tallied two goals in two games to open the Canada West women's hockey season.
The Nursing student from Weyburn recorded the Huskies' second goal in a 3-2 loss to the Regina Cougars Friday night. She scored at 2:57 in the second period.
A night later in the Huskies 4-3 win over the Cougars, Bourassa scored the first goal of the game at 4:58 in the first.
Bourassa and the Huskies travel to meet the Lethbridge Pronghorns on the weekend.
Men's third star – Luke Philp
Alberta Golden Bears hockey
Forward
2nd-year
Canmore, Alta.
Native Studies
Game log: Friday, Oct. 6 – Four assists in 7-0 W vs. Mount Royal / Saturday, Oct. 7 – two assists in 5-1 W @ Mount Royal.
Sophomore University of Alberta Golden Bears forward Luke Philp is the Canada West men's third star following his six-point performance on opening weekend.
Pegged as head coach Serge Lajoie's 2017-18 player to watch, the Golden Bears sophomore took little time proving why, recording six assists in the Bears opening weekend sweep over the Mount Royal Cougars.
Philp was easily the best player on the ice in Friday night's 7-0 win over the Cougars. The Canmore, Alta. native recorded a career-high four assists, including setting up each of the Golden Bears first three goals, highlighted by a two-on-none shorthanded breakaway, which was finished off by Jamie Crooks.
Philp was just as strong on Saturday in Calgary, adding another two assists in the Bears 5-1 win over Mount Royal. His six points are the most in Canada West after two conference games, while his +6 rating is also a conference-high.
Philp and the undefeated Golden Bears will be back at Clare Drake Arena this weekend, as they host the 1-1 Manitoba Bisons on Friday and Saturday night.