MONTREAL – The Trinity Western women's soccer team captured the Canadian Interuniversity Sport title Sunday afternoon in Montreal with a 3-2 win in penalty kicks over the hometown McGill Martlets in the national championship final.
 
The Spartans are bringing home the Gladys Bean Memorial Trophy for the first time in the school's history. The national championship also marks the first title for Trinity Western University since they entered the CIAU/Canada West in 1999-2000. The TWU soccer programs entered in 2001-2002.
 
TWU upset a McGill team that brought a 13-game unbeaten streak into the gold medal match.
 
The teams battled through regulation and two 15-minute sudden death overtimes, but the Spartans dominated the penalty kick shootout, scoring on two of their first three shots, while unflappable keeper Angela Garriott – who made 21 saves during the contest – stymied three of the Martlets' four shooters.
 
"We're the national champions!" said an elated TWU head coach Graham Roxburgh, following the victory. "I'm so pleased for the girls, so pleased for the program, and so pleased for all the staff and support staff at TWU. Most of all, I want to thank the Lord for an unbelievable finish to an unbelievable season."
 
TWU was literally seconds away from losing the match, but first year forward Rachelle Armstrong scored in injury time to tie the game 2-2 and keep the Spartans' hopes of a national championship alive.
 
McGill's organized attack put pressure on the Spartans from the opening whistle, and sparked the Montreal squad to a 2-0 lead on goals by forward Jennifer Scanzano and defender Catherine Scott.
 
Down by two at the half, the Spartans came out after the break determined to chip away at the lead, one goal at a time.
 
TWU's Emily Bond go the Spartans on the board in the 49^th minute, off a great pass from defender Erin-Marie Higgins. Higgins lofted a high, arcing ball behind the McGill defence to a racing Bond, who chipped it over the on rushing keeper.
 
Re-energized, Trinity Western continued to press for the equalizer, but McGill was not about to sit back on their suddenly-reduced lead. Physical play intensified as both teams left it all on the field in the final game of the season.
 
With time running out, desperation started to set in for the Spartans.
 
And then Armstrong scored in injury time to put the best two teams in the country into overtime.
 
Through two overtimes and much nail-biting, the score remained locked at 2-2.
 
After 120 minutes, the Canadian championship would be decided by the skills of a possible six players from each team: one goalkeeper and five shooters. In the end, only four were needed from TWU and five from McGill.
 
It was Garriott's turn to shine. She stopped McGill keeper Victoria Villalba as well as Catherine Scott. She then watched a shot from the Martlets' Morag Mitchell Carvalho sail wide.
 
Meanwhile, TWU's Lindsay Rohla and Alexis Heinz scored on their shots to put the Spartans up 2-0.
 
Garriott ended the match with one final save on McGill's Eloise Vandal.
 
Spartans Lindsay Rohla, Angela Trauter, and Ashlee Davison were named tournament all-stars. Defender Brittany Heinrich was named Player of the Game in the Final.
 
GAME NOTES: This marks the first ever national championship in TWU history. For the fourth consecutive season, a Canada West team has won the CIAU championship. TWU opened the championship with a 0-0 tie with Prince Edward Island. TWU then defeated Montreal 7-0 to advance to Sunday's gold medal final.
 
-TW-