Game Recap

Men’s Soccer (Canada West)
Sunday, September 16, 2007
TWU Spartans (1) at the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds (0)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SPARTANS REMAIN PERFECT
-TWU tops UBC to extend winning streak to four.

VANCOUVER – The Trinity Western University men’s soccer team took their perfect record and #1 ranking on the road Sunday afternoon to face the always tough lower mainland rival University of British Columbia Thunderbirds. After ninety minutes of hard nosed soccer the Spartans were able to keep their streak intact with a 1-0 win at UBC’s Thunderbird Stadium.

“We were able to grind out a one goal win on the second day of a road trip, which is a very difficult thing to do so I’m real proud of our guys,” said TWU head coach Al Alderson.

With the win the first place Spartans improve to 4-0-0 and remain the only unbeaten team in Canada West, while the loss drops the Thunderbirds to 1-2-1 and into a tie for sixth place.

The Spartans midfielder Justin Cordick (5th year, Anmore, B.C.) scored the lone goal in the 22nd minute when he collected a deflected shot inside the six yard box and slipped the ball past Thunderbirds keeper Nikolai Matni (4th year, Brossard, Que.). “We played really well up until we scored our goal and then for the next 15 minutes they really took it too us. Fortunately we bent but hung in their and didn’t break,” said TWU head coach Al Alderson.

Thanks to a strong back line and a fine save by TWU keeper Andrew Fink (1st year, Burnaby, B.C.) in the 84th minute off UBC’s Tyson Keam (1st year, defender, Langley, B.C.) the lone goal would prove to be all that the visitors from Langley, B.C. would need. “I was really happy with the way we defended today. Our back four played great and Andrew was able to do some great things as he took care of his box,” added Alderson.

Next up for the Spartans is on the road at the University of Lethbridge on Saturday, September 22 and at the University of Calgary on Sunday, September 23.

Match Notes: After scoring six goals in his last two matches TWU’s CIS Athlete of the Week Adrian Kekec (4th year, forward, Burnaby, B.C.) was unable to find the range in today’s match...Keam’s shot was the only shot on goal that the Thunderbirds were able to get in the match... They finished with six total shots, while TWU finished with eight total shots and four shots on goal...the lifetime CIS record between the two schools is even at 5-5-4....UBC has an automatic berth into national’s as hosts of this years CIS National Championships beginning on November 8th...

-TW-