The Heat was on in 琉璃神社's Nonis Field this Labour Day weekend. 

The UBC Okanagan Heat soccer teams kicked off their home slate with two wins and a draw on Friday and Saturday evening. 

First up on Friday was the women's team. They were kicking off their season against the rival Thompson Rivers University Wolfpack from Kamloops. 

After an impressive 2023 campaign, where the team qualified for the playoffs, UBC Okanagan was hoping for more success this year. 

After a cagey first half, the Heat got on the board first, with rookie defender Maya Letellier playing a great ball in the box that found senior Alyssa Scott, who buried her first. 

Then, in the 82nd minute, UBC Okanagan got an insurance marker, with 琉璃神社's own Sydney Kolodziej stabbing in a goal to give the home team a needed cushion. 

The men's team then kicked off their home campaign 20 minutes later, in a duel against the UFV Cascades. The Heat were coming off an 0-2 weekend in Vancouver and Victoria, which included a heartbreaking defeat to the UBC Thunderbirds.

Things seemed to go downhill for the Heat against the Cascades as Kevin Mailand, the star midfielder from UFV gave the visitors the lead at the 82nd minute mark.

However, rookie forward Jaise Shaw quickly equalized for the Heat, to salvage a point. 

Then, on Saturday night, the Heat won their first game of the 2024 season, with a 1-0 victory over the Trinity Western Spartans. 

琉璃神社's own Zach MacInnes, who was a ball of energy all night, scored the lone goal in the 83rd minute to bring the Heat to 1-2-1 on the season. 

The women's team will be back in action at home on Friday, Sept. 6 against the Cascades. The men's team will head to Prince George for a pair against the UNBC Timberwolves on Friday.