VIDEO: WOMEN’S SOCCER HOSTS UBC SATURDAY

WOMEN’S SOCCER (CANADA WEST)
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WOMEN’S SOCCER HOSTS UBC SATURDAY

LANGLEY, British Columbia – The Spartans women’s soccer will look to build upon last Saturday's 4-0 win over Victoria that snapped a four-game winless slide when they host UBC Saturday at 5:00 p.m. The Spartans have won their last four matches against UBC and will hope to continue that run this weekend at Rogers Park.
 
Watch the games live HERE and follow the live stats HERE.



SPARTANS (6-2-2)
CIS Ranking: No. 8
Canada West Standing: 2nd
Last Week: Fraser Valley 2-2 T, Victoria 4-0 W
Streak: 1 Win
2009 conference record: 11-2-1 (1st)
2009 CW Championship: 1-1 (2nd)
2009 CIS Championship: 3-0 (1st)
Last CW title: 2008
Last CIS title: 2009
TWU Lifetime vs UBC: 7-12-5

The Spartans got back on track with an exclamation point last Saturday as they knocked off Victoria by a 4-0 count and ended a team-record four-game winless streak.

But now, the next test for TWU will be to build upon last weekend’s solid performance. And with Saturday’s game against UBC being the first of a home-and-home (the second game being on Oct. 23 at UBC), the chance to separate themselves from the Thunderbirds and make a strong statement is there for the taking.

The Spartans, who, on Saturday, recorded their first shutout since Sept. 24 will need to have another solid defensive effort (TWU didn’t allow a shot on target against Victoria) to have any success against the T-Birds.

Prior to Saturday’s clean sheet, the Spartans had allowed eight goals in their previous four games. But despite the Spartans four-game defensive blip, TWU’s nine total goals allowed is still good for second in Canada West. And in the process, the Spartans goalkeepers have only been forced to make 3.49 saves per game (2nd lowest in CW).

Goalkeepers Kristen Funk (Calgary, Alta.) (4-1-1) and Veronika Rogina (Surrey, B.C.) (2-1-1) have shared duties this year with Funk having the better numbers thus far.  In six games, Funk has a 0.67 goals against average (2nd in CW), a .862 save percentage (2nd in CW) and three shutouts while Rogina has a 1.25 GAA (4th in CW), a .643 save percentage (11th in CW) and two shutouts.

While the defence has seen varying forms, the offence has been firing on most cylinders right from the season’s opening whistle.

Through 10 games, the Spartans lead CW in goals with 21 and points with 37 while they are second in the conference in shots with 163.

Individually, TWU forwards Nikki Wright (Cloverdale, B.C.) , Daniela Gerig (Langley, B.C.) and Alicia Tesan (Vancouver, B.C.) continue to lead the offensive barrage. Tesan and Gerig are tied for fourth in CW with five goals each while Wright is tied for ninth with three goals on the year. Wright is also third in CW with 3.56 shots per game but is closely trailed by Gerig, who has averaged 3.10 shots per game (8th in CW). Gerig is tied for second in CW with eight points while Tesan is tied for eighth with six points.

Expect a fast moving and intense battle Saturday as the Spartans lead CW in fouls with 15.60 per game and UBC is second with 11.20 per game while the Spartans lead CW in offsides with 31 with UBC second with 29. The Spartans have the most yellow cards in CW with seven.

Trinity Western has won their last four meetings with UBC.

THUNDERBIRDS (6-3-1)
CIS Ranking: No. 10
Canada West Standing: 3rd
Last Week: Victoria 2-0 W, Fraser Valley 4-3 L
Streak: 1 Loss
2009 CW Record: 8-2-4, 3rd
2009 CW Tournament: 2nd
2009 CIS Tournament 3rd
Last CW Title: 2007
Last CIS Title: 2006
UBC Lifetime vs TWU: 12-7-5

The Thunderbirds come to Trinity Western this Saturday off a high-low weekend that saw them beat Victoria 2-0 Friday but then lose to Fraser Valley 4-3 the following evening. It was a weekend that mirrored the previous road weekend where they lost to UFV 2-0 and beat Victoria 3-0.

After starting the year with a 3-0-1 record, UBC has gone 3-3-0 in their last six and have stumbled from a No. 3 CIS ranking in Week 3 to this week’s No. 10 ranking.

But despite the T-Birds up and down record of the late, UBC is still very much a formidable opposition as they lead Canada West in shots (197), are second in goals (20), third in goals allowed (10) and tied for second (with TWU) in shutouts with five.

The T-Birds offence has largely been triggered by Janine Frazao as she leads the team with seven goals (tied for 2nd in CW). Frazao is also second in CW with 4.22 shots per game, tied for second in points with eight and tied for first with two game-winning goals.

While Frazao has got the headlines, the quartet of Lisa Furutani (five goals), Rachael Sawer (three goals and two assists), Kelly Cook (three goals) and Natalie Hirayama (one goal and two assists) has been more than capable of providing secondary scoring.

Defensively, the T-Birds have proven rather staunch in most games. Before last Saturday’s 4-3 loss to UFV, UBC had only allowed six goals in nine games.

Goalie Meghan Best (4-2-1) has been getting the majority of playing time between the posts as she has started seven games thus far and has a Canada West leading .864 save percentage, a 0.87 goals against average (3rd in CW) and three shutouts. Leah Peric (2-1-0) has played in four games this year, starting three, and has a 1.29 GAA and a .500 save percentage.

On the back line, Jordan Kitagawa, Alisha Penev, Jessica Briker and Cook have been the mainstays as, between the four of them, they have started all but two games.

Last Updated: 2010-10-13
Author: Mark Janzen