Scheduled Game: ALBERTA*

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GAME RESULTS 1 2 T Alberta 0 0 0 Trinity Western 0 3 3 « FINAL

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Game Recap

WOMEN’S SOCCER (CANADA WEST)
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2009
NO. 2 TWU SPARTANS (3) VS THE UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA PANDAS (0)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SLOW START BIG FINISH AS SPARTANS SET SCHOOL RECORD

LANGLEY, British Columbia – Trinity Western forward Nikki Wright (Cloverdale, B.C.) scored her sixth and seventh goals of the season to give the Spartans a 3-0 victory over the visiting University of Alberta Pandas Friday night at TWU’s Langley B.C. campus. The win moves the No. 2 Spartans to 10-1-0, while the loss drops the Pandas to 6-3-2.

The 10th Canada West victory is a new program record for the Spartans. Prior to this season the Spartans had hit the nine conference win mark in four separate seasons: 2008 (9-2-3), 2007 (9-3-2), 2006 (9-4-2) and 2004 (9-2-3).

“I’m delighted to get the win, especially after we came off of weekend where we didn’t play our best soccer. Tonight though, especially in the second half, we were dangerous and played with a lot of energy,” commented TWU head coach Graham Roxburgh. “The execution was excellent and although there were some strong individual performances tonight’s win was definitely a team win.”

The first half was a matter of bend but don’t break for both teams. Each team made dangerous runs into their opponent’s end of the field but were unable to find the back of the net. The half ended with Trinity Western having a five to four edge in shots and six to four in corner kicks. Each keeper made one save.

The Spartans midfield took control in the second half. They possessed the ball and made smart passes to their forwards, while limiting the Pandas opportunities. The result in the second half was TWU having an 11-3 edge in shots and a 3-0 edge in goals.

 “Our midfield is a very talented group. We talk today about playing together as a unit and our play was excellent as we looked to be a more cohesive unit,” comment Roxburgh. “In particular Tessa Meyer (Surrey, B.C.) was fantastic in the midfield tonight. Her work rate and her decision making in the midfield was great.”

Wright opened the scoring in the 49th minute. The goal came after the Spartans forward Alicia Tesan (Vancouver) came in through traffic on the right side of the box. Tesan hit a hard shot towards the Pandas far post. Alberta’s Sabina Bullard (Edmonton) made a great stop but was unable to corral the rebound. Wright came in hard from the left and hammered the ball into the lower left corner of the Alberta net.

Wright got her second of the game in the 64th minute on a brilliant individual effort. TWU midfielder Natalie Boyd (Surrey, B.C.) hit Wright just past midfield in full stride. Wright beat the Pandas back line down the park to go in alone on the Alberta net. Wright came in on the left and sent the ball past Bullard into the leftside of the net to give TWU the 2-0 lead.

Forward Daniela Gerig (Fort Langley, B.C.) got into the mix in the 71st minute. Gerig’s goal was almost identical to Wright’s second. Melissa Mobilio (Coquitlam, B.C.) found Gerig heading toward the Pandas centre back. Gerig in full stride accelerated towards the Alberta net where she sent the ball into the rightside of the net to give Trinity Western the three goal lead.

TWU keeper Kristen Funk (Calgary) made three saves to record her eighth win of the season and her sixth shutout, while Alberta’s Bullard made five saves in the loss. Funk’s six shutouts tie her for the Canada West lead with Victoria’s Stephanie Parker.

Alberta’s Amanda Black (Edmonton) led the Pandas with four shots and was named Player of the Match for Alberta, while Wright led the Spartans with five shots and was also named Player of the Match.

Next up for the Spartans is the University of Saskatchewan Huskies. Match time at TWU is set for 5 pm., while the Pandas will now head to Vancouver to take on the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds.

Match notes: Wright’s seven goals put her in third place in CW in total goals, trailing only Victoria’s Kendra Flock’s 11 goals and UBC’s Janine Frazao’s nine goals…After a slow start Wright has scored five goals in the last four matches…

-TW-

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