The University of the Fraser Valley women's soccer team had their chances, but ended up settling for a scoreless draw with the Victoria Vikes in their first game of the Canada West regular season.

The game, played under increasingly rainy conditions at MRC Sports Complex in Abbotsford, saw the host Cascades earn the lion's share of the chances in the first half, with the visiting Vikes making an offensive push after the break. 

UFV goalkeeper Joven Sandhu and UVic's Kayley Lidstone both posted clean sheets, registering six and four saves, respectively.

The Cascades (0-0-1) and Vikes (2-0-1) renew hostilities on Sunday at 1 p.m.

"In the first half, we came out pretty strong," UFV defender Alanna Sydenham analyzed afterward. "We were super-excited, and we had moments where we were connecting and working well together – we just weren't finishing our chances. Second half, we fell apart a little bit. We weren't connecting. 

"It was good we got a clean sheet, but it was unfortunate we couldn't finish the chances we had."

The Cascades had the better of the play early, earning a pair of corners and generating the first quality scoring chance – Harneet Dadrao's tight-angle shot from the left forced a leaping save from Vikes keeper Lidstone. 

Lidstone also had to be sharp as she came charging out to cut down the angle on Jiya Kaila's partial breakaway, and she made a close-quarters save off Simi Lehal later in the first half.

Early in the second, Dadrao had the closest call of the night, taking a feed from Lehal in the centre of the box, and pivoting into a shot that went off the post.

The Vikes, No. 6 in the U SPORTS national rankings, found their traction at that point, earning a series of corners and coming close on a couple of them. Kara Skirzyk's header forced an athletic stop from Sandhu, as she punched the ball over the bar. Later on, Kyra Teetzen's corner found Tess Vande, and her header went just over the net.