VICTORIA – Elvir Gigolaj and Ian Coke scored for Saint Mary’s on Thursday as the Huskies advanced to the semifinals of the Canadian university men’s soccer championship with a 2-1 win over the McGill Redmen.
The Huskies, who were surprise winners of the Atlantic conference last weekend after finishing sixth overall in the regular season, will face Alberta on Friday after the Golden Bears beat the Toronto Varsity Blues 2-1 in another quarter-final.
McGill, whose only goal came from Sebastian Munro, will play Toronto on the consolation side.
Elsewhere, the Cape Breton Capers beat the McMaster Marauders 2-1, while the Victoria Vikes beat the Montreal Carabins 3-2.
Gigolaj beat Remen goalkeeper Charles Kelly in the 15th minute before Coke scored in 64th to put Saint Mary’s up by two.
Munro scored four minutes later, but McGill would get no closer.
“It’s obviously easier to play the game with a lead,” Saint Mary’s head coach Stewart Galloway said. “I don’t think we played particularly well today, not as well as we’d been playing last weekend (in the AUS playoffs). They outshot us but our faster players and our pace helped us.
“We were smart up front and we went forward with a purpose. Overall I’m pleased with our effort.”
Meanwhile, Alberta used a strong counter attack to defeat Toronto.
Milan Timotijevic scored both goals for the Golden Bears, including one on a penalty shot.
Toronto’s lone goal came from Mario Kovacevic in the 90th minute as the Varsity Blues outshot the Golden Bears 20-14 and had a decided possession advantage but failed to capitalize.
“I am ecstatic just to get this win in the first game of the CIS nationals,” Alberta goalkeeper Jay Vetsch said. “It’s just a huge win for us to beat Toronto. It’s a great feeling when we were dominated early in the game to step up and score two goals. It was great.”
Later Thursday, Ian Greedy scored in the 119th minute to lead Cape Breton past McMaster.
Anthony Costa gave the Marauders a 1-0 lead in the 48th minute before Keishen Bean tied the game in the 76th minute for the Capers.
Cape Breton will play Victoria in the other semi after Gavin Barrett scored twice, both from a corner kick, and the Vikes went on to beat Montreal in a shootout.
Colin Parenteau-Michon scored for the Carabins just under 10 minutes into the game, but Barrett tied the game at one.
Vincent de Bruille put Montreal ahead 2-1 in the 111th minute, but Barrett once again scored only three minutes later en route to Wesley Barrett’s winner in the shootout.
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