Game Recap
MEN’S SOCCER (CANADA WEST)
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2009
TWU SPARTANS (1) AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA GOLDEN BEARS (1)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SPARTANS TIE GOLDEN BEARS
EDMONTON – After a victorious Saturday for both teams playing in today’s Sunday afternoon match at Foote Field in Edmonton, the University of Alberta Golden Bears and Trinity Western University Spartans fielded a 1-1 draw, fittingly bringing both team records to 1-0-1.
“We had quality play by Liam McAllister (Vancouver), Jason Wiens (Coaldale, Alta.) and Paul Hamilton (Calgary) for marking and really holding the fort as we were under a lot of pressure in the first half. But were able to balance the play in the second half,” commented TWU head coach Pat Rohla. “We let one get away; we had two good chances to get the go ahead goal but were unable to get them. But as poorly as we played we were still able to create chances, which is a bright spot for us.”
Game two for the Bears’ regular season began similarly as the first, with a quick goal involving Kevin Perry (Edmonton) starting things off. Today, however, Perry was the receiver of a cross, courtesy of teammate Matthew Strelow (Calgary). Perry’s header in the second minute got a lot of airtime before landing on the other side of Spartans’ keeper, Andrew Fink (Burnaby, B.C.), just passing over the goal line on the far side of the net.
Trinity Western responded quickly, as first year forward Jason Wiens took a point-blank shot in the fourth minute, held up temporarily by Alberta netminder Jaswinder Gill (Edmonton) before the ball’s momentum carried it over the line to even the game at one. Midfielder Liam McAllister drew the assist on Wiens’ second goal of the weekend.
The rest of the first half found Alberta taking control and firing eight more shots in Fink’s direction, including three alone by midfielder Milan Timotijevic, yet none of them would succeed in giving the Bears the lead.
In the second half, the tables slowly started to turn in favour of the 2008 CIS silver medal winners with Spartan Nathan Pogue left alone in the center in the 60th minute and kicking a shot high over the Bears’ goal. In the 83rd minute, the Seaside, Ore. native would repeat the feat with a header that would sail just over the crossbar.
The late pressure continued with a rush in the 88th minute when forward Daniel Lowen (Langley, B.C.) one-timed a kick from the right side, forcing Edmonton native Gill to leap into the air and go horizontal to bat away the oncoming ball for an incredible save.
Gill would finish the game with just the one, yet eye-opening, save while his counterpart Fink would finish with seven.
The Bears play again in less than seven days when they host the Fraser Valley Cascades next Saturday at 2 PM at Foote Field. The Trinity Western Spartans will head back home to host A Albertan teams, the University of Calgary Dinos and University of Lethbridge Pronghorns.
Match Notes: The Golden Bears outshot the Spartans 12 to six overall and eight to two on target…Alberta also had the edge in corner kicks at three to two…
-TW-
-source UofA Sports Information
