Friday, Oct. 22: Cascades (2-3-5, 5th in West Division) at UBC Okanagan Heat (2-4-4, 6th in West Division), 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 23: Cascades at UBC Okanagan, 6:30 p.m.
Kelowna, B.C.
Webcast: CanadaWest.tv presented by Co-op

THE MATCH-UP

The Cascades are currently on the outside of the playoff picture looking in, sitting fifth with the top four teams qualifying, and they have very little margin for error. The surest way to ensure post-season participation? Win both games this weekend at UBC Okanagan. That would boost them from 11 points to 17, surpassing the Trinity Western Spartans (15 points), who currently occupy a top-four playoff spot but have already wrapped up their 12-game regular-season schedule.

A four-point weekend (one win, one draw) might also be enough to get the Cascades in, but that would require either:

• Fourth-place Thompson Rivers (14 points) to achieve at most a draw and a loss over their final two games at UNBC this weekend, or
• Second-place UBC (15 points) losing both of their final two games at UVic

Complicating matters for the Cascades is the fact that their opponent, the Heat (currently on 10 points), will be just as desperate for those six points this weekend. Two wins for UBCO would likewise be enough for them to clinch playoffs.

RECENT FORM

The Cascades are unbeaten in five games, yet surely feel they could have had more points over that stretch, which saw them post two wins and three draws. In both of their home games vs. UNBC last weekend, the Timberwolves were able to manufacture late equalizers to claim a pair of matching 2-2 draws.

The Heat, meanwhile, showed how tough they can be on their home pitch last weekend. Facing front-running UVic, UBCO dropped a 1-0 decision last Friday, but bounced back for a 1-0 win on Saturday, thus snapping the Vikes' four-game undefeated streak. 

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Trevor Zanatta, UFV – The Cascades' third-year midfielder has emerged as one of Canada West's truly elite players this season. The Coquitlam, B.C. product – who earlier this season set a CW single-game record with four assists and subsequently picked up conference athlete of the week honours – was tremendously clutch vs. UNBC, having a hand in all four UFV goals (three goals, one assist) over the course of the weekend. Zanatta currently sits second in CW with eight points, and is the co-leader in assists (five).

Nicholas Reitsma, UBCO – The Heat have not been a prolific squad in terms of offensive output, with just seven goals over 10 games to date. But they've been among the most defensively sound, backstopped by fourth-year goalkeeper Reitsma, a hometown Kelowna product who sits third in CW in total saves (40) and has posted three clean sheets.

QUOTABLE

"We know based on last weekend, we have to be a lot better and a lot stronger, especially in the second half. We've put it in the past, and we've learned from our mistakes. Second half, we can't sit back and think we've won the game. We know we have to stay switched on, and we'll take that into next weekend. We have to be brave and play our game. It's about going there, doing our thing, and letting our hard work and talent speak for itself." – Cascades midfielder David Parfett, on what his squad needs to do to have success at UBCO

"They've got a lot of big bodies, so we're going to have to be very, very aware on set pieces, very tight. Other than that, we haven't played them in a couple years, but we know it's going to be a very tough weekend." – Parfett, on the Heat