Scheduled Game: @British Columbia*

Game Recap

Women’s Soccer (Canada West)
Saturday, October 7, 2006
TWU Spartans (0) at the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds (1)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

T-Birds Top TWU
UBC evens season series with 1-0 win

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – The Trinity Western University women’s soccer team battled hard against the #10 ranked University of British Columbia, but despite out-shooting the Thunderbirds the Spartans came out on the short end of a 1-0 match. The Thunderbird’s win allows UBC to earn a split on the season series. In their previous meeting at TWU the Spartans had the edge in a 3-0 win.

The win moves UBC to 5-3-1, while the loss drops TWU to 4-3-2. The Thunderbirds entered the weekend four points behind the Spartans, but two UBC wins and two TWU losses moves the T-Birds ahead of Spartans and into fourth place in Canada West, while the Spartans drop into fifth spot.

“We continue to make chances but we don’t capitalize on them,” said TWU head coach Graham Roxburgh. “We played well in spurts and showed good heart, but our inability to finish and make good decisions in the attacking third is hurting us.”

Caitlin Davie (Tsawwassen, B.C.), who returned to action after missing the last two contests with a knee injury, scored the lone UBC goal on a brilliant strike in the 10th minute. Collecting a pass from Chelsea Hampton (Maple Ridge, B.C.) at the left corner of the box, the first-year midfielder touched the ball to her right foot and buried a shot top right leaving TWU ‘keeper Nikki Turner (Langley, B.C.), who had three saves on the day, with no chance.

Although the Langley side carried the play for much of the match, the T-Birds defence was up to the task and smothered the Spartans strikers from start to finish. Despite generating a host of quality opportunities, TWU couldn’t convert as the UBC back line stalked their every move.

Stalwart defender Amy Bobb (Vancouver) epitomized the attitude of the T-Birds defensive corps, frustrating the efforts of Canada West-scoring leader Carlee O’Brien (Nanaimo) on the right flank, while making a string of hard-nosed slide tackles and clearing the ball out of harm’s way on numerous occasions.

Jackie Dunnett (Burnaby) backed up the UBC defence with one of her best performances of the season, making five solid saves to earn her fourth shutout in conference play.

“We played pretty well against their speed,” said UBC Head Coach Dick Mosher. “They can be a very difficult team to contain and our defence did a good job. It seems that whenever these two teams play it comes down to whoever is going to finish and today’s game was no different.”

The Spartans responded with consistent pressure throughout the half, but Dunnett made a series of key stops to preserve the lead. She dove to her right to stone Melanie Ingwersen (Abbotsford) from in close soon after Davie’s marker, before sprawling across the mouth of the goal to stop O’Brien, who was parked a few yards from the right post, later on.

In the second half the visitors had another golden opportunity but came up short, as Bobb knocked a shot from Lindsay Rohla (Langley) off the line with Dunnett down and out to preserve the T-Birds slim advantage.

Next up for the Spartans is at the University College of the Fraser Valley on Saturday, October 14 at 1 p.m. in Abbotsford.

Match Notes: TWU out shot UBC 16-13 including an 11-5 edge in the first half....Nikki Turner played the full 90 in goal for the Spartans and made three saves, while Jaclyn Dunnett played the full match for the Thunderbirds and made six saves...TWU’s Carlee O’Brien had an unlucky match. The fourth year forward hit a goal post and a cross bar in her three shots on net...each team had five corner kicks...

-TW-

-contributions from UBC Sports Information

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