LANGLEY, B.C. – Trinity Western fifth-year striker Rachel Hutchinson (Cloverdale, B.C.) was on form Saturday, scoring two first-half goals and adding a third late in the game to spark the No. 3-ranked Spartans to a 5-0 win over Manitoba Saturday at Chase Office Field.

Hutchinson had a pair of goals in the first half and then completed the hat-trick in the 90th minutes. Teammates Gabi Short (Calgary) and Maddie Low (Port Moody, B.C.) each scored second half markers to help the Spartans (3-0-1) secure their third straight win of the season. The loss sees Manitoba (1-3) drop their second contest of the weekend.

Hutchinson launched the Spartans offensive attack early on, scoring in the sixth minute jumping on a rebound off the right post and tapping it in from in close.

Hutchinson then doubled TWU's lead in the 32nd minute, heading home a perfect cross from Jenaya Robertson (Delta, B.C.) that came off the right wing.

The Spartans outshot Manitoba 12-2 in the first half, including an 8-2 edge in shots on goal.

Short added to the Spartans lead in the 62nd minute, capitalizing on a Manitoba turnover and running in alone before slotting it to the low left corner.

In the 82nd minute, Low scored her first of the season, sending in a long ball from outside that box that evaded Manitoba goalie Karina Bagi.

Hutchinson wrapped up her three-goal effort, scoring a goal just before stoppage time, with Syd Duquette (Winnipeg) picking up the assist.

TWU finished the night with a 25-5 edge in shots and an 18-3 difference in shots on goal.

QUOTABLE
TWU Coach Graham Roxburgh
"I thought at times we played really good soccer and generated really good chances. Defensively we have a solid core that is always going to be difficult to break down if they're playing well. I was pleased with the early goal and pleased with our desire to create new chances. I thought we were a little bit sloppy and a little bit impatient with our final pass and probably missed out on some scoring chances. Credit to Manitoba because they defended extremely compact and made it hard to find good spaces.

"I thought Kristen Sakaki's (Surrey, B.C.) ability to get up and down the line was excellent. Aliya Coy (Calgary) got in behind them in the first half and generated a few really good crosses. Our back four was very good. Jenaya's work rate in the midfield was great. It was a good performance, but not a great performance."

On Rachel Hutchinson
"I thought she was a bit unlucky not to have five or six. But she was clinical in her finishing. I thought the ball in from Jenaya on her second goal was a great ball and a great header. Rachel deserves this and she's worked really hard."

NOTABLE
•    TWU outscored its opponents 10-1 over the weekend, adding to a 5-1 win over Winnipeg Friday.
•    The Spartans are now 14-2 all-time against the Bisons. TWU's last loss to Manitoba was Sept. 15, 2007 (2-0).
•    TWU has won 12 straight against the Bisons and have gone six games against Manitoba without allowing a goal.

NEXT UP
The Spartans are on the road next weekend when they travel to play Alberta (Sept. 21) and MacEwan (Sept. 22).

About Spartan Athletics
As official members of U SPORTS, the Spartans currently compete in 11 sports in the Canada West conference, including women's and men's soccer, volleyball, basketball, cross country and track & field, as well as women's rugby sevens. TWU also competes in the British Columbia Intercollegiate Hockey League (BCIHL) in men's hockey and as an independent team in men's rugby. The men's and women's hockey programs will begin playing in Canada West and U SPORTS in 2020-21. Since TWU entered U SPORTS in 1999, the Spartans have won 12 U SPORTS team championships and 27 Canada West team championships and two BCIHL championships.

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