Game Recap

Women’s Soccer (Canada West)
Friday, October 6, 2006
TWU Spartans (1) at the #1 University of Victoria Vikes (2)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SPARTANS PUSH #1 RANKED VIKES

VICTORIA, British Columbia – The number one ranked University of Victoria remained unbeaten after today’s match with the visiting Trinity Western University women’s soccer team. But not until after they were pushed to the limit in a 2-1 Vikes win over the Spartans. The win moves the Vikes to 7-0-1, while the loss drops the Spartans to 4-2-2.

“We played very well. We played with lots of energy and we created a number of dangerous scoring opportunities,” said TWU Head Coach Graham Roxburgh. “Even when we were down in the second half we were able to create chances. We just had some hard luck and failed to capitalize on our chances.”

Coach Roxburgh was complementary on the play of the Spartan defenders against the top ranked Vikes. “We had a fantastic game out of our right back, Stephanie Stewart (5th year, Langley, B.C.). Her play along with Brittany Heinrich (4th year, Kelowna, B.C.) and Whitney Agassiz (4th year, Salmon Arm, B.C.) made our defense in the back line very solid.”

Trinity Western had the first two good scoring chances of the game, with the first coming at the ten minute mark when Katie Smart (4th year, Surrey, B.C.) rang her corner kick off the cross bar. The second came three minutes later when Carlie O'Brien (4th year, Nanaimo, B.C.) made a great run through the Vikes backfield, only to be squeezed off the ball by Rachael Lovink (5th year, Calgary).

Nellanna Kurylo (1st year, Victoria) put a beautiful cross in box, setting up Victoria's first opportunity. The ball went to the foot of Hambleton whose shot was blocked. Liz Hansen (5th year, Cortes Island, B.C.) jumped on the ball to give Victoria a second chance but neither could beat Spartan keeper Veronica Rogina (1st year, Surrey, B.C.)

Victoria would pick up their first goal of the game in the 23rd minute. Hansen sent a sailing corner kick into the box that Trinity Western picked up. After a number of players, including TWU keeper Veronika Rogina (1st year, Surrey, B.C.), jostled for the ball in the air the ball found its way on to the foot of Carey Gustafson (5th year, Victoria). Her first crack at goal rang off the post but she was quick to the ball and buried the second chance.

Both sides would get chances before the end of the half. Hambleton would have two of those for the Vikes, the initial shot a blast over the cross bar and the second a rip from down low that she drove into the netting just outside the post. O'Brien was the Spartan player with the best chance to tie the game before the half. With play in injury time, she went one-on-one with Lovink through the box but was stopped by the charging Vikes keeper Kasia Gwiazda (2nd year, North Vancouver, B.C.), who slide out to make the steal, sending the game to the half with the score at 1-0 for Victoria.

The Vikes worked quickly in the second to increase the lead to two. Half-time substitute and former Spartan Rachael Armstrong (2nd year, Victoria) chipped the ball across the front of the goal at the 11 minute mark to Kate Hambleton (5th year, Victoria), who took a one-timer. She flubbed the ball but maintained control and took a second crack. Her well placed shot streamed just out of the reach of Rogina and inside the far post of the Spartan goal.

Trinity Western had a beautiful chance to cut the lead back to one moments later. Chantel Esperanza (1st year, Surrey, B.C.) blasted a shot to the top corner but Gwiazda leapt to her right and fisted the ball over the bar in to touch.

The Spartans would get on the board 25 minutes into the second. O'Brien beat her first check and raced towards the goal. Jackie Snell (2nd year, Victoria) slide across from her backfield position and clipped the wide open O'Brien, bringing her down in the box. Rohla would take the penalty kick and she hammered her freebie into the right side of the net to make the score 2-1.

“Carlee was a constant threat all game, her pace allowed her to be able to get behind the Victoria back line,” said Roxburgh. “Lindsay hit a cracker of a shot on her penalty [kick].”

Trinity Western continued to press for the equalizer. As time wound down Dana DuMerton (2nd year, Abbotsford, B.C.) had a shot from eight yards out on an angle, but her shot sailed just over the bar as Victoria was able to earn a hard-fought 2-1 victory.

The defending Canadian Interuniversity Sport champion Vikes came into the game riding a ten game unbeaten streak, with their last loss coming in last season's conference championship final. Earlier this year the Vikes defeated the Spartans 3-0 at TWU’s Spartan Field.

Next up for the Spartans is at the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds on Saturday, October 7. Match time at UBC is set for 2 p.m. TWU currently sits in fourth place, while UBC is in fifth place at 4-3-1. The top five teams plus host the University of Regina qualify for the Canada West playoffs.

Match Notes: TWU out shot Victoria nine to seven and had the edge in corner kicks seven to four...

-TW-

-contributions from Victoria Sports Information