Scheduled Game: BRITISH COLUMBIA*

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GAME RESULTS 1 2 T British Columbia 1 0 1 Trinity Western 1 0 1

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Game Recap

Women's Soccer (Canada West)
Thursday, September 11, 2008
TWU Spartans (1) vs. the University of the British Columbia (1)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

YOUNG SPARTANS SHOW WELL AGAINST T-BIRDS

LANGLEY, British Columbia - It was a night of near misses for the Trinity Western University women's soccer team as they battled their cross town rival the 4th ranked University of British Columbia to a 1-1 draw on a beautiful sunny evening in Langley, B.C.

"I'm very pleased with my teams overall performance. We had a great competitive spirit about us after the frustration of last weekend [0-0 draw with UFV]. Which is essential when you play a team like UBC where they have weapons in numbers," said TWU head coach Graham Roxburgh. "I thought we did a good job for the most part to contain some of their dangerous players and I thought we defended very well at times, and in the end we were a little bit unlucky to not have scored on one of our close chances towards the end of the match. But it was two good teams playing and we always have great battle and tonight was just another illustration of that, so we will take the point and move on from here."

The Spartans opened the scoring in the 15th minute when rookie forward Nikki Wright would take advantage of a UBC turnover in the midfield to get her first goal in Canada West conference play.

One of the most coveted recruits in the league, the Cloverdale native played with the Whitecaps Reserve squad last year, was sent streaking down the far side of the field after the UBC give-away and would fire a 20-yard strike to the far post past UBC keeper Jaclyn Dunnett (Burnaby, B.C.). "We got off to a great start and it was rewarded with Nikki's goal, which was a tremendous finish. She has shown that she can be a threat at any time," commented Roxburgh on Wright.

Canada West 2007 Rookie of the Year Natalie Hirayama got the Thunderbirds lone goal in the 41st minute. She tied the match with a beautiful give and go with Lisa Furutani (North Vancouver, B.C.).

After winning the ball in the midfield, Hirayama would give to Furutani who would return the favour and the second-year from Richmond would strike the ball off of one bounce from 18 yards out over the outstretched arms of Spartans goalkeeper Kristen Funk (1st year, Calgary). "We battled well in the midfield. After the goal I felt that they were the more likely to come on and score the next goal. I was a little disappointed that we gave away the goal when we did, because it was something that we could have avoided," commented Roxburgh.

Neither team had many clear-cut chances through the middle of the match, with the Spartans only having four shots on target to two for the Thunderbirds, but the home side did have two great opportunities to pick up the win late in the second half.

With the flow of the game having stagnated into a midfield battle, Wright was sent in alone on the counter attack by Daniela Gerig (2nd year, forward, Walnut Grove, B.C.) in the 72nd minute. The Spartan goal scorer would be taken down by UBC back Jessica Briker (Kelowna, B.C.) just outside the Thunderbird penalty area but Jessica Filion's (1st year, defender, Surrey, B.C.) free kick would meet the UBC wall.

The best chance of the second half would come off a TWU corner with just five minute to play. Spartan defender Kayleen Davison (2nd year, Maple Ridge, B.C.) would be first to meet the ball, but her header was expertly saved by the left hand of a diving Dunnett. The ball would then head of to the right side of the Thunderbird net where TWU's Dana DuMerton's (Abbotsford, B.C.) shot would ricochet off Daniela Gerig and sail inches wide of the UBC right post.

TWU keeper Funk and UBC keeper Dunnett each played the full ninety for their teams.

"Well any time you can come into their park and take a point, it's a good night," said UBC head coach Dick Mosher. "They are one of the stronger teams in the league, so the overall result wasn't all that bad."

Dana DuMerton was Player of the Game for the Spartans, while midfielder Natalie Hirayama (Richmond, B.C.) received the honour for the Thunderbirds. "I thought Dana had a captain's performance. I was very, very pleased to see her come through a game where she had an influence and an impact on the game," commented Roxburgh on the fifth year TWU forward.

Trinity Western University will now have a day off before they host the University of Victoria on Saturday afternoon. Match time at TWU is set for 4 p.m.

Match Notes: the Spartans are 3-11-5 lifetime against the Thunderbirds...in their last match at TWU on Sept. 28, 07 they tied with the identical 1-1 score...TWU is 1-0-2 in their last three meetings with UBC in Langley. The Thunderbirds knocked the Spartans out of last years Canada West play-offs with a 2-0 semi-final victory....the Thunderbirds have been in the last two CIS Championships, claiming gold in 2006, while the Spartans have been in two of the last four championships, winning gold in 2004...

-TW-

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