The University of the Fraser Valley women’s soccer team had plenty to celebrate at the Canada West awards banquet in Langley on Thursday.
On the eve of the conference Final Four tournament hosted by Trinity Western University, Cascades goalkeeper Kayla Klim won the Canada West Student-Athlete Community Service Award, midfielder Kara Delwo was named a first team all-star, and forward Monika Levarsky was a second-teamer.
It’s an unprecedented awards haul for the UFV women’s soccer team. Over the previous eight years of the program’s tenure in Canada West, they’d had just one player named a conference all-star – Lyndsay Munro, a second-team fullback in 2010.
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Kayla Klim was honoured for her impact on the field, on campus and beyond.
Kayla Klim
The generous, community-minded Burnaby native, currently in her third year with the Cascades, serves as a resident assistant at UFV’s Baker House. Her responsibilities include, among other things, helping international students feel at home and get connected socially at the university.
On Oct. 9, Klim was part of a student group that participated in a “Brave the Shave” fundraiser on campus in support of the Canadian Cancer Society. Klim has had several family members impacted by cancer, and to show her support, she raised pledges and then shaved her head and donated her long, blond locks to make wigs for chemotherapy patients.
On the pitch, Klim is a star for the Cascades. An alum of the Whitecaps Girls Elite program, she finished fourth in Canada West this season with an .841 save percentage, and her sparkling five-save performance in last Saturday’s 3-0 victory over Victoria in the conference quarterfinals was her sixth clean sheet of the season. This past summer, Klim played for the Seattle Sounders of the W-League.
“Kayla is very involved in campus life at UFV,” Cascades head coach Rob Giesbrecht said. “She has a leadership role in our residence, connecting international students to the local community. She helped raise over $3,000 for cancer research and donated her hair to cancer patients.
“And on top of being an outstanding goalkeeper and a great competitor, she’s a really positive force on our team and has really helped shape our culture into a positive, competitive program.”
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Kara Delwo
Kara Delwo’s all-star nod caps a stirring comeback. Seven minutes into the team’s first exhibition game in 2013, the Abbotsford native suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and underwent season-ending surgery.
Delwo has returned with a vengeance in her second year of eligibility, starting all 12 games for the Cascades and notching two goals along the way. The holding midfielder is a key cog in UFV’s defence, which has surrendered just 10 goals in 13 games (regular season and playoffs combined) in 2014.
“It’s an incredible accomplishment – she’s come back not only to participate, but to be a first team all-star,” Giesbrecht said of Delwo. “It shows the strength of her character. What makes Kara an effective player is her determination and fearlessness in midfield. I’m very proud of her.”
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Surrey native Monika Levarsky has authored a fantastic rookie season with the Cascades. She’s formed a highly effective partnership with fellow striker Shelby Beck, and the duo tied for team-high honours with six goals during the regular season.
Monika Levarsky
“When I recruited Monika, I knew she was a powerful player that loved to score goals, and I was confident she would have a seamless transition to the physical demands of university soccer,” Giesbrecht said. “I’m thrilled her goal-scoring prowess carried over as well. She takes responsibility, she’s willing to take risks, and for a young player to be such a difference-maker, it’s encouraging.”
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The Canada West Final Four will be held at TWU’s Rogers Field.
On Friday, the Cascades take on the Alberta Pandas in the semifinals at 7:30 p.m., with the earlier semi featuring the Trinity Western Spartans vs. the Saskatchewan Huskies (5 p.m.). The bronze and gold medal games run Saturday at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., respectively. All games will be broadcast online at canadawest.tv.
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