LANGLEY, British Columbia – The Trinity Western men's soccer team did what it needed to do. It wasn't quite a masterpiece, but the Spartans earned the full three points that were up for grabs Friday night thanks to a 2-1 win over Thompson Rivers at Rogers Field.

The Spartans scored twice in the first 25 minutes to stake themselves an early lead and, from there, goalie Andrew Hicks (Surrey, B.C.) held the fort as TWU (3-2) picked up its first home win of the season. Brayden Gant (Maple Ridge, B.C.) and Jarvis Ambaka (Maragoli, Kenya) were the Spartans goal-scorers.

The WolfPack's Oriol Torres scored a first half stoppage time goal that put the game back in the balance, but that was all the offence the visitors would get. The loss dropped TRU to 1-4 on the season.

"We're thankful for the three points, but the performance left a few question marks in some aspects of the game," said Spartans coach Pat Rohla. "We're young and we seemed a little naïve, but overall, three points is what we were looking for and three points is what we got."

Hicks made four saves, including a brilliant one-on-one stop of WolfPack striker Ryan Glanville in the first half, to earn the win. TRU's Travis Froehlich stopped three of the five shots he faced in the loss.

"I honestly think Hicksy has been the best goalie in Canada West so far," said TWU defender Taylor Johnson. "He's made unbelievable saves throughout the season and he kept us in it today. He had two huge saves. He's a brother to me and I'm stoked to have him behind us."

The Spartans opened the scoring in the 10th minute when Gant, cutting through the box, got his head to an Austin Kasian (Calgary) cross and beat Froehlich to the far side.

TRU nearly equalised in the 19th minute when Glanville found himself bearing down alone on Hicks, but the Spartans keeper was keen to the task, stopping the WolfPack's striker point blank.

With momentum in their corner, the Spartans pushed to double their lead and did just that in the 23rd minute when Ambaka got to the end of a Mitchell Urzinger (Langley, B.C.) cross. The Spartans third-year midfielder tracked down a well-time ball on the right flank before sending it in to Ambaka.

Just before the halftime whistle, the WolfPack stole a piece of momentum, clawing to within one. Taking a feed from Mitchell Popadynetz, Torres found himself alone in the box and swiftly chipped his offering off the cross bar and in.

In the second half, the WolfPack nearly had a chance to tie it up in the 63rd minute, when Glanville took a ball from a TWU defender's feet and almost sprung loose. However, Hicks charged out of his net and dove at the feet of Glanville to thwart the opportunity.

Late in the contest, the WolfPack had plenty of pressure and a Torres back-heeled a chance on target from in tight, but Hicks was in good position to make the save.

In stoppage time, the WolfPack had one last gasp, but TRU's Corey Wallis put a header just over the crossbar.

The Spartans are back in action Saturday when they will host UBC Okanagan at 7:15 p.m. The WolfPack will travel down the road to play Fraser Valley Saturday at 7:30 p.m.

Game Notes: The Spartans honour TWU student and Spartan fan Lauren Krueger, who passed away suddenly last weekend, by wearing black arm bands…Gant's goal was the Spartans first at home this year after the team had been held off the scoresheet in each of its first two outings at Rogers Field…TWU's Leighton Johnson (Calgary) and Joel Waterman (Aldergrove, B.C.) each received yellow cards, while TRU's Colton Walker and McPhie were also booked with yellows.

-TW-