The Douglas College Royals are going back to the Canadian Colleges’ soccer nationals for a third straight season.
But this time the goal is to come back with the gold.
“Every year our goal is gold at the nationals,” said Douglas co-coach Robby Toor. “In 2012, we dropped the ball, and in 2013 we could have won it but were proud to bring back the bronze medal.
“We’re feeling good. The last few weeks, we’ve been playing better.”
In fact, the Royals are unbeaten in the month of October, with seven wins and a tie in their last eight league and playoff games.
But it took overtime in the semifinals and a shootout win over Vancouver Island University in the gold-medal match to do it.
Douglas outscored the regular season champion 4-3 on penalty kicks in the shootout at Quest University on Sunday to win gold.
Royals’ goalkeeper Marc Mincieli made a stop on a penalty kick attempt, and the fourth VIU shooter hit the post. Sameer Grewal scored the penalty-kick winner for Douglas.
Nicolas Pineda Graham got the Royals on board first, finishing off a successful first-half penalty kick set up after Mark Baldisimo made a solo run through the Mariners’ defence before eventually being hauled down in the box.
Vancouver Island got that goal back in the second half, when PacWest player of the year Victor Blasco converted a penalty kick to send the game into extra time after Mincieli took down Renan Rebelatto.
Nothing was decided in extra time.
“It was definitely an intense weekend,” Toor said.
The Royals also had to go to overtime in their 2-0 semifinal win over host Quest on Saturday.
Douglas broke the scoreless regulation time matchup with a goal early in the opening extra time.
Royals’ substitute Jagpreet Purewal tallied a pair of goals in extra time, including a goal off a great one-on-one effort before slotting the game-winner top shelf. Purewal put the game away with a late goal off a deflection.
The semifinal win guaranteed Douglas a berth at the Canadian Colleges’ national championships to be held in Ontario Nov. 5 to 8.
The Royals open the collegiate nationals against host Sheridan College.
“We know we play the hosts. We know it’s not going to be easy,” Toor added. “But we know what we’re capable of.”
Prior to the games, Royals Baldisimo, Spencer Deboice and Devin Phelan were named to the PacWest men’s conference all-star team.
Third-year midfielder Marni McMillan of Douglas was named the PacWest women’s player of the year. McMillan also joined Royals teammates Danae Harding and Nicolle Fraser on the All-PacWest team.
The Royal women, runner-up finishers in the regular season, earned a bronze medal at the provincials following a 4-3 shootout win over Kwantlen Polytechnic University on Saturday.
McMillan was the Royals player of the game in both matches, picking up a goal in the upset 2-1 loss to the No. 3 Langara Falcons in the semifinals on Friday and a second marker in the 1-1 draw that eventually went to penalty kicks in the bronze-medal game the following day against KPU.
All-Canadians will be named prior to the Canadian Colleges’ national championships.
