Capilano College's run at a national title ended with a 2-1 loss to Champlain St. Lambert in the semifinals of the Canadian Colleges Athletics Association men's soccer nationals in Burnaby on Friday.
The Blues, who reached the event by winning the B.C. Colleges Athletics Association crown in Kamloops three weeks ago, began the national championship tourney at the Burnaby Lake Sports Complex with a 4-2 win over Mt. St. Vincent University Wednesday as Sutherland Sabres alum Corey Birza scored twice and Jeremy Boileau and Reyhan Ismail added singles.
However, in the semifinal, midfielder Alan McIndoe's one goal wasn't enough to lift the Blues to the victory. "We played well, but [Quebec] capitalized on their chances and we didn't," said Blues head coach Paul Dailly, who led the team to both provincial and national titles in 2003. "It was tight all the way. In the last 20 minutes we were all over them - pressing, pressing, pressing - but we just couldn't get the equalizer."
The loss relegated the North Van team to the bronze-medal final, but the Blues dropped that match 4-2 to the Alberta representative, Grant MacEwan. Will Gye, a former Elphi Cougar, and Geoff Buchanan both scored for Cap in that game.
"At the end of the day I think Alberta just wanted it more than us," said Dailly.
McIndoe, who hails from Burnaby, was named the player of the game for Capilano College in both of the first two CCAA matches, while another Burnaby native, David Zaharija, was tapped as Cap's player of the game in the bronze-medal final.
Both Capilano players were also named to the tournament all-star team.
Dailly said he told his players not to hang their heads about their fourth-place exit from the nationals.
"Halfway through the season, if you told me we'd be [playing at the nationals] I would have said 'You're crazy.' The way things were going results-wise and injury-wise, it was a really strange beginning to the season," he said. "They battled hard and really regrouped and came together as a team and they have nothing to be ashamed of."
