Scheduled Game: BRITISH COLUMBIA*

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GAME RESULTS 1 2 T UBC 0 1 1 Trinity Western 1 0 1

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Game Recap

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SPARTANS AND T-BIRDS DRAW
-Two of the top teams in the CIS battle

LANGLEY, British Columbia - The fourth ranked Trinity Western University (5-1-1) women's soccer team hosted the third ranked University of British Columbia (3-1-1) Friday night at TWU's Langley, B.C. campus. It was a game worthy of the two of the top team in the nation as the final 1-1 result had no victor but provided plenty of highlight-reel material.

"It is always a hard fought game against UBC and tonight was no different - It was just a fantastic game," said TWU head coach Graham Roxburgh. "I was very pleased with our fight tonight; we had lots and lots of battle from our players. I'm disappointed to give up the point but in the end it was probably a fair result."

TWU's Christine Walker (2nd year, defender, White Rock, B.C.) opened the scoring in the 11th minute when she headed a perfectly placed corner kick from Lindsay Rohla (5th year, midfield, Langley, B.C.) into the top of the Thunderbirds net. "We knew set pieces were going to be crucial tonight and Christine made a great run and a great header," said Roxburgh.

The Thunderbirds Stephanie Thibert (Vancouver) nearly tied the match just before the half, but her shot found the post and the Spartans Veronika Rogina (2nd year, keeper, Surrey, B.C.) was able to coral the rebound before any damage could occur.

Striker Kristen Zoller (Burnaby, B.C.) tied the match in the 69th minute. Zoller took a feed from Carmen Lindsay (Kelowna, B.C.) in the middle of the box. The Thunderbird striker then turned in a crowd and sent the ball into the lower left side of the Spartans net.

After an extended time in their defensive end the Spartans looked like they had the go ahead goal. In the 85th minute TWU's Carlee O'Brien (5th year, forward, Nanaimo, B.C.) went down the right side of the park and sent a high cross to the center of the UBC box where Daniela Gerig (1st year, forward, Langley, B.C.) was waiting. Gerig went high kick a rising shot that sailed inches over the Thunderbirds' cross bar. "If she scores that it's a highlight goal to win the game," said Roxburgh. Then four minutes later O'Brien herself found the post when she sent a hard shot past UBC's Jaclyn Dunnett (Burnaby, B.C.).

TWU's veteran back line of fifth year defenders, Rohla, Whitney Agassiz (Salmon Arm, B.C.), Brittany Heinrich (Kelowna, B.C.), and Erin-Marie Higgins (White Rock, B.C.), were solid in limiting the number of quality opportunities for the Thunderbirds forwards. "We are very good when we play our seniors across the back," said Roxburgh. "They have been together since our national title and they understand each other so together they are very solid unit."

Rogina made five saves for the Spartans, while Dunnett made six saves for the Thunderbirds.

Next up for the Spartans is hosting the University of Victoria Vikes tomorrow afternoon. Match time at TWU's Spartan Field is set for 5 p.m. Next up for the Thunderbirds is the University College of the Fraser Valley tomorrow afternoon at Abbotsford's Bateman Park.

Match notes: UBC outshot TWU 15-12...while the Spartans had a 7-6 edge in shots on goal...the Spartans committed 21 fouls, while the Thunderbirds were whistled for five infractions...Rohla's assist gives her 18 in her career and puts her in second place behind O'Brien, with 23, on the TWU all-time assists record book...after going 1-8-3 in their first 12 meetings with the T-Birds, the Spartans are 2-1-1 in their last four meetings...

-TW-

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