SASKATOON – In what was an absolute battle until the bitter end, the University of Fraser Valley Cascades men's soccer team came out the victors after a penalty shootout to defeat the Saskatchewan Huskies 2-1 in Canada West Quarter-final action.
 
A pair of fifth-years combined to shine in the shootout for the visiting Cascades with goalie David Hicks stopping three of the four penalties he faced and captain Tammer Byrne firing in the game-winning penalty.
 
Nikolas Baikas scored from a thunderous volley in the 120th minute of play to send the game into penalty kicks after Andrew Peat opened the scoring in the 95th.
 
"I thank the guys, they squeezed everything they absolutely could out of themselves and out of their teammates," said Huskies head coach Bryce Chapman. "We had our chances earlier on where I think we were unlucky to not get ahead in the game and I think that would have changed things."
 
The win sends the Cascades onto the Canada West Final Four with the host institution still to be determined.
 
For the Huskies, the season comes to an end in heartbreaking fashion and for five fifth-year athletes: Greg Buckley, Jakub Rogowski, Tyler Redl, Sam Whiting and Bryce Marinus the game also signalled the finish of their outstanding U SPORTS careers.
 
"The fifth-years stood on their heads today," said Chapman. "Greg made a great save to keep it 1-0, Bryce played great and Jakub Rogowski was a warrior in the midfield, I don't think he left the field all season."
 
It was the Huskies who held sway of the proceedings for much of the opening 90 minutes of the game.
 
Fraser Valley was content to drop deep and let the Huskies send attack after attack into the Cascades penalty area. Mohamed Omar, Tobias Hyrich-Krueger and Marcello Gonzales all came close to scoring in regulation but a combination of strong play from Hicks and some tough bounces kept the game tied 0-0.
 
That's not to say the Cascades were bereft of chances however, as they were quick to break up the field with the ball and posed some threats despite being out-shot 13-3 in regulation.
 
"For large parts of the game we were under pressure, Saskatchewan came at us and we had to defend," said Cascades head coach Tom Lowndes. "We looked dangerous on the counter-attack, but it could have gone either way."
 
The overtime frame brought both teams out their shells, with both the Huskies and Cascades piling up the scoring opportunities and the breakthrough came from the foot of Peat after some sustained Huskies' pressure.
 
A great ball forward from Gurmaan Jhaj found Peat in stride and the first-year forward made no mistake in scoring the opening goal of the game.
 
The Huskies' deficit was compounded when they were reduced to ten men after a red card was issued in the 105th minute.
 
Fraser Valley was able to keep the ball away from dangerous areas for much of the second half of overtime before Baikas' wonder-strike in the final minute of play.
 
A long throw-in from Mason Ogoke was headed high into the air from a Cascades defender and Baikas was able to find some space and volley the ball from just inside the 18-yard box and into the top corner to ensure that the marathon game would have the most dramatic ending possible.
 
"With us going down a goal and then down a man but fighting back to tie it up in the late stages of overtime, I am nothing but proud of this group," said Chapman.
 
The game headed to penalties with momentum firmly on the side of the Huskies but it was the Cascades that dominated the shootout.
 
"We were down after conceding the goal but I told the guys that they only needed to score two or three because I know Hicks will save a couple," said Lowndes. "Full credit to him, he was amazing, anytime your goalkeeper saves three you better win a shootout otherwise you're doing something wrong."
 
After four rounds of shooters and goals from the Cascades Anthony Vega and Parman Minhas with only Baikas responding for the Huskies thanks to Hicks' heroics, the stage was set for Fraser Valley's captain Tammer Byrne.
 
The defender stepped up to the spot and calmly slotted the ball just inside the right post to end the game and send the Cascades on to the next round in the Canada West playoffs.
 
After the game Chapman talked about the fight his team showed despite the disappointing result.
 
"We spoke to the team during the season, we challenged every player that they all had to take their individual games up a gear. To give the guys in the locker room credit they accepted that challenge and I thought everyone elevated their own individual performances. We've been talking a lot in Huskie Athletics about our DNA and who we are. The fight and commitment that they showed not just for themselves, but for the badge they wear was evident."