Scheduled Game: LETHBRIDGE*

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GAME RESULTS 1 2 T Lethbridge 0 1 1 Trinity Western 1 2 3 « FINAL

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Game Recap

MEN’S SOCCER (CANADA WEST)
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2009
TWU SPARTANS (3) AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE PRONGHORNS (1)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

POGUE WITHIN THREE OF RECORD AS SPARTANS TOP PRONGHORNS

VANCOUVER – Trinity Western University forward Nathan Pogue (Seaside, Ore.) scored an insurance goal in extra time to help secure a 3-1 win for the Spartans over the visiting University of Lethbridge Pronghorns Saturday night at TWU’s Langley, B.C. campus. The goal gives Pogue 29 in his TWU career, which puts him within three of Adrian Kekec (’09), with 32, for the school record. The win also keeps the Spartans undefeated at 2-0-2, while the loss keeps the Pronghorns winless at 0-4-0.

“I wanted to change the formation to reflect something that has escaped us, which is to try as best we can to play down in their end. I don’t’ care if it is pretty, but from our first touch after the opening whistle we are sending the ball deep down into their end and we are going to stay on top of it,” said TWU head coach Pat Rohla. “I’m not interested in pretty play I’m interested in effective play. So the instructions to the team were minimal; I told them that they have to find it within themselves to bring the energy today and I was very pleased with their performance and it is certainly something to build on.”

The Spartans were the dominant side in the first half. TWU made numerous runs at the Lethbridge net as they outshot the Pronghorns 11-2 in the opening frame. Pronghorns’ keeper Jordan Campbell (Port Macleod, Alta.) made four saves and kept the Spartans off the scoreboard for much of the half.

“Our three midfielders did a fantastic job playing three against four. It is a very difficult formation but Braden Volkenant (Surrey, B.C.), Jordan Whitehead (Surrey, B.C.) and Jason Wiens (Coaldale, Alta.) were fantastic in their play as they covered a lot of ground both north and south and east and west,” commented Rohla.

TWU was finally rewarded for their pressure with a goal in the 42nd minute. The opening marker came when Pogue sent a pass to forward David Rowse (St. Albert, Alta.) who was open at the top of the Lethbridge box. Rowse took a touch and sent the ball past a diving Campbell and into the lower left corner of the net to give the Spartans a 1-0 lead at the half.

The Spartans came out strong to start the second frame. Forward Daniel Lowen (Langley, B.C.), who had hit the crossbar in the first half, finally got on the score sheet in the 48th minute. Lowen and forward Garrett Traversy (Delta, B.C.) went in on a two v. one on the Pronghorn net, where Traversy found Lowen open in the centre of the box. Lowen one-timed the ball from point-blank range, but Campbell was there for the save. Unfortunately for the Pronghorns Campbell was unable to keep the rebound from bouncing right back to Lowen. With a second opportunity Lowen, who led all players with seven shots, made no mistake as he sent the ball into the right side of the open Lethbridge net.

“One of the challenges for Danny is that he has to play with energy. If he becomes passive it is his Achilles heel. So he has to stay fully engaged. He has the range on field to get in behind, like some of our other forwards, so we try and play a style supports that,” commented Rohla on Lowen’s dominant play in the first half.

With the two goal cushion the Spartans settled back a little, while the Pronghorns increased their sense of urgency. Lethbridge made a game of it when midfielder Greg Remjin (Cranford, Alta.) found teammate Michael O’Brien (Calgary) in deep on the Spartan net. O’Brien went in to the six yard box on the right side of the pitch and sent the ball past a charging TWU keeper Andrew Fink (Burnaby, B.C.) and into the far side of the Spartans net.

With the lead cut to one goal, both teams increased their level of play and took turns making strong runs into their opponent’s end of the park. The outcome remained in question until Pogue sealed the match in extra time. TWU midfielder Ioannis Tsoulouhas (Bellingham, Wash.) set up the goal with a nice cross to the middle of the Pronghorn box. Pogue went high to meet the cross, where he headed the ball into the back of the Lethbridge net to give TWU the 3-1 win.

TWU keeper Andrew Fink made two saves to earn the win, while Lethbridge keeper Jordan Campbell made seven saves in the loss.

TWU heads back on the road next weekend for two matches. They play at Fraser Valley University on Sat. Sept. 26 before traveling to the island for a match with the University of Victoria on Sun. Sept. 27. Lethbridge will return home to host the University of Alberta on Sat. and the University of Saskatchewan on Sun.

Match Notes: TWU outshot Lethbridge 22-7 in total shots and 10-3 in shots on goal…Lowen was named Player of the Match for the Spartans, while O’Brien was named Player of the Match for the Pronghorns…

-TW-

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