Vikings survive scare against Spartans

Jordan Woloski’s role on Tuesday was way busier than usual.

At least, Vincent Massey defenders haven’t had much pressure from the Neelin Spartans lately. But the Spartans hit the Vikings’ net for the first time since 2019 and forced the senior centre back to be sharp to hold off the comeback bid in a 2-1 Massey victory on home turf.

The Vikings improved to 2-0, dropping the Spartans to 0-2 halfway through the Brandon High School Soccer League girls’ season.

“They have a really strong team this year and like to put the pressure on very fast. Our defence definitely had a lot more pressure than we’re used to,” Woloski said, adding defender Soleil Kaktins was a big help at the back.

“I love having her back there. It gives me so much comfort knowing if I do get beat, I have her there, and if she gets beat, she always has me there. We work as a really good pulley system.”

Last year, Massey swept the season series with 5-0 and 4-0 blowouts. In 2024, the Vikings won both games 5-0. They had one close one after two lopsided shutouts in 2023, as Massey beat Neelin 1-0 in the league final.

Spartans senior Nicole Dyck, who’s heading to Brandon University next year to play for the Bobcats, knew her team needed to focus on the defensive end first.

“We know our record and we know stopping more goals is more beneficial than scoring for us, so we try to keep it that way,” Dyck said.

“For us, it’s just taking our opportunities as they come, and it worked out pretty well for us.

“We pushed through a lot more than we normally do against Massey. It was a great surprise for me, honestly, but we just worked really great together as a team.”

The Vikings pounced early as Iman Ahmed cut in from the left side and tucked the ball in the bottom-left corner of the net just five minutes in.

Hoad doubled the lead in the 18th minute, and nearly made it 3-0 soon after, but Neelin keeper Brooklyn Savenco made a brilliant diving save to keep it out.

The Spartans hung around and seized a rare counter-attack opportunity as Sara Nunez played the ball through to Azeezat Yusuf, who lowered her shoulder to knock a Vikings defender off the ball before drilling it home to make it 2-1 at the half-hour mark.

The Spartans played quite a few dangerous through balls in the second half, and certainly could have found the equalizer if not for two of the fastest girls in the province in Woloski and Kaktins winning every race to the ball.

Up front, fellow Massey track star Tessa Hoad broke through to score the game-winning goal 18 minutes in, rifling it into the top-left corner.

“We have our entire track team here. There’s a lot of us that can really run the ball and a ton of speed on this team,” Woloski said.

The Spartans are back in action next Monday against the host Crocus Plainsmen, who are using Cougars Field for all their regular-season home games.

The Vikings visit the Spartans on May 14 and host the Plainsmen on May 19. They’re in a great spot to lock up a first-round bye and home-field advantage for the May 26 city final, but Woloski feels they have a lot to work on in terms of their offensive structure.

“Improving on using more lanes and triangles, instead of big kicks,” she said. “You can always find somebody instead of just sending it and then them kicking it back.”

In boys’ league play, Crocus hosts Massey today at 4:30 p.m.

» tfriesen@brandonsun.com