LANGLEY, B.C. – Playing in their first home game of the season, the Trinity Western men's rugby team beat Western Washington University 24-0 Friday at the Langley Events Centre | Northwest Field.

The Spartans, who relaunched the rugby program this fall, were playing in their first home game since 2004 and earned their third straight win, having also knocked off the University of Washington and the University of Oregon over the last two weeks. 

Ethan Kelt (Port Coquitlam, B.C.) scored two tries, while Daniel Clement (Edmonton) and Caleb Gerth (Langley) tallied one try apiece amidst a torrential downpour that was coupled with a wild wind. 

Keegan Marengo (Edenvale, South Africa) slotted one conversion for the Spartans, who picked up their first shutout of the year. 

TWU is now 4-1 on the season against university competition.  

Clement opened the scoring midway through the first set when he took a lineout and the Spartans mauled the ball across line. Marengo made the conversion. 

Just over 10 minutes later, Gerth bullied his way through the Vikings defence and dove across the line to score. 

Early in the second half, Kelt got his first of two tries when he took advantage of a WWU miscue on a lineout at the Vikings 5-metre line, grabbing the ball and dotting it down. The opportunity deep in WWU's end came about after a brilliant kick to touch from Marengo. 

Kelt put the game to bed when he found space out wide and beat a defender, rounding around the corner to score. 

TWU Scoring
Tries: Kelt (2) Clement (1), Gerth (1)
Conversions: Marengo (1)

QUOTABLE
Andrew Evans – TWU Head Coach
"It was great to have our first home game and it was awesome to have so many fans out, especially in the monsoon conditions. I thought we played well overall and had a number of player play key roles for us. Our lineout was excellent tonight. Scott Bowers (New Westminster) was on form and Daniel Clement was a complete nuisance for WWU, stealing a few lineouts along the way. It's nice to get a win in our home-opener and now we're looking forward to hosting Central Washington in two weeks."

NEXT UP
The Spartans host Central Washington University Feb. 14 back at the Langley Events Centre. 

ROSTER
1. Ben Graci – Edmonton, Alta. | Nor'westers AA
2. Scott Bowers – New Westminster, B.C. | Riverside
3. Mackenzie Nordli – Nanaimo, B.C. | Nanaimo 
4. Erik Niebuhr – Surrey, B.C. | Bayside Sharks
5. Nick Halladay – White Rock, B.C.
6. Brian Carlson – Langley, B.C. | D.W. Poppy
7. Daniel Clement – Edmonton, Alta. | Edmonton Clansmen 
8. Caleb Gerth (C) – Langley, B.C. | Brookswood 
9. Ethan Kelt – Port Coquitlam, B.C. | United Rugby Club
10. Keegan Marengo – Edenvale, South Africa | Golden Lions
11. Ben Adkins – Nairobi, Kenya | Rift Valley Academy
12. Sam Wegert – Langley, B.C. | R.E. Mountain
13. Nate Schroeder – West Kelowna, B.C. | Mount Boucherie Secondary 
14. Markus Rauch – Abbotsford, B.C. | Robert Bateman Secondary
15. Khyree Poole – El Cajon, Calif. | OMBAC Rugby

16. J.P. O'Gorman – St. Charles, Miss. | Francis Howell Central
17. Josh Halladay – White Rock, B.C.
18. Nate Lieuwen – Langley, B.C.
19. James Aalhus – Langley, B.C. | Langley Rugby Club
20. Logan Magnan – Redmond, WA 
21. Jacob Sousa – Langley, B.C. | R.E. Mountain Secondary
22. Benedict Makarimba
23. Samuel Holinaty – Summerland, B.C.
24. Tim Bamgbade – Surrey, B.C.
25. Ethan Bernardin – Langley, B.C. | R.E. Mountain Secondary

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.

-TW-