VANCOUVER, B.C. – Trinity Western rookie defender Tilly James scored in the 76^th minute to lift the Spartans to a 1-0 victory over the UBC Thunderbirds Friday night at Thunderbird Stadium in Vancouver, B.C. The victory keeps TWU unbeaten and untied at 11-0-0 with one game remaining in their Canada West season. The loss is the first of the season for UBC and drops the Thunderbirds to 8-1-0.

TWU took advantage of their one shot on target for the night as James' incredible strike was driven from the top of the 18-yard box on a rope to the top right corner past the diving outstretched hands of T-Birds goalkeeper Emily Moore and proved to be the difference on the night.

The early stages saw a chess match between the familiar foes before UBC settled into a spell of better possession and field position. The T-Birds most dangerous early chance came off a free kick deep in Spartans territory in the 13^th minute. Defender Ella Nuttall-Smith snuck up field for the set piece and collected the ball at the six-yard box then proceeded to unleash two consecutive shots that TWU defended brilliantly in collapsing and blocking both dangerous attempts.

The Spartans would respond with one of their first forays into UBC territory as Kathryn Harvey id well to find room just inside the 18-yard box but sent her shot just over the cross bar. One minute later it was Harvey setting up teammate Sierra Halldorson at the top of the box for a one-time blast that went narrowly wide of the T-Birds left goalpost.

Leading to halftime it was a fairly stingy affair until minute 40 when UBC seemingly flipped a switch that produced two exhilarating chances off the foot of midfielder Katalin Tolnai. The first in minute 41 making space for herself on the left side of the box and unleashing a hard shot that was again well blocked by the TWU defence. One minute later Tolnai found herself at point blank range on the nine-yard line and sent a line drive towards goal only to be nicely punched away by Spartans goal keeper Hannah Miller.

The best early chance of the second half came courtesy of TWU in the 59^th minute with an in-swinging corner kick sent far post, UBC goalkeeper Emily Moore did well to punch the ball away from initial danger but it bounced to Spartans forward Makenna Dietrich who's well taken volley sailed just over the crossbar.

The T-Birds best chance would come in minute 67 as midfielder Sophie Damian sent a long pinpoint through ball to a streaking Tolnai who ran onto it and sent a left footed strike just wide right from about 15-yards out.

Following James' heatseeking marker to put TWU up 1-0 in the 76^th minute the T-Birds best chances to equalize would come in extra time off a corner kick. Sophia Ferreria sent in an in swinging left footed cross that led to a flurry of activity in the goal mouth, Damian would get the best chance for the hosts with a strike from seven yards out that was well blocked by a lunging Miller in the visitor net.

NOTABLE

• The Spartans have never had a perfect season in their 20 seasons in Canada West.
• TWU's current winning streak for the season is now at 11 games and 15 games overall going back to the 2019 season.
• The Spartans are now 17-22-11 lifetime against the Thunderbirds.
• TWU's last win at UBC came on September 17, 2016 when they beat the Thunderbirds 2-1.

 
QUOTABLE
TWU Head Coach Graham Roxburgh
"Credit to both teams, for sure physical for sure fiercely contested but I thought fair. You know sometimes these cross-town rivalries can get chippy but I thought fair and I really give them credit, there was a couple moments in the first half where we were bending but good thing we didn't break. Hannah made two unbelievable saves and it's hard to go on the road especially back-to-back and we know UBC is a very good team so to come out halftime 0-0 we regrouped and I said look if you start to play and believe a bit more and I think we did. We acquitted ourselves very well and defended very well other than a one or two times where we gave the ball away in bad spaces but credit my kids, they played with tons of heart tonight."

UP NEXT
The Spartans will finish of their Canada West season tomorrow night against the UBC Thunderbirds. Match time at UBC is set for 5:30 p.m. The match can be seen live on Canadwest.tv.

About Spartan Athletics
As official members of U SPORTS, the Spartans currently compete in 13 sports in the Canada West conference, including women's and men's soccer, volleyball, basketball, hockey, cross country and track & field, as well as women's rugby sevens. TWU also competes as an independent team in men's rugby. Since TWU entered U SPORTS in 1999, the Spartans have won 12 U SPORTS team championships and 29 Canada West team championships.

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