Box Score LANGLEY, B.C. – The no. 2 ranked Spartans are now perfect through nine matches, defeating Victoria 3-0 on Friday.
 
With their ninth straight win to start the season, Trinity Western has officially achieved their best start in program history, beating their 8-0-0 record set in 2012.
 
The Spartans were strong in the first half, but Victoria's defending and goalkeeping was spectacular in crucial situations. Victoria goalkeeper Kayley Lidstone was outstanding, stopping the Spartans when any prospective chance arose.
 
Although the Spartans dominated on the ball, Victoria was frisky on the counter, taking their chances well. Still, TWU's centre-back combination of Tilly James (Vancouver, B.C.) and Elizabeth Hicks (Surrey, B.C.) gave UVIC's attack little hope.
 
The Spartans found the back of the net in the 60^th minute as Anna Dunn (Edmonton) looped the ball over the keeper after a scramble occurred in front of Victoria's net. As the game was slightly tilted in TWU's favour before Dunn's eigth goal of the season, the pitch completely tilted in the Spartans favour.
 
Anna Dunn slid her ninth goal of the season home in the 68^th minute off a Holland Stiel (Okotoks, Alta.) assist, then Aliya Coy (Calgary) lofted a beautiful through-ball to Makenna Dieterich (Langley, B.C.) who powered the ball into the bottom-right corner to make it 3-0.
 
The Spartans spent the final 20 minutes of the game possessing the ball, cruising onto another important victory as their 2021 Canada West campaign nears its end.
 
NOTABLE

• First-year midfielder Holland Stiel made her first assist of her Canada West career tonight. Stiel is one of many first-years who have impressed, and often started for the Spartans in the 2021 season.
• TWU was without key players Maddie Melnychuk (Langley, B.C.), Jessica Vance (Coquitlam, B.C.), and Sarah Bazille (Coquitlam, B.C.) in Friday's match against Victoria.
• Fourth-year Anna Dunn continues to terrorize opposing back-lines, scoring 10 goals through nine Canada West games. Dunn is now closing in on Jenaya Robertson's ('20, Delta, B.C.) single season goal-scoring record set in 2019 (14 goals). The Spartans have three Canada West games left in the season (Victoria, UBC, UBC).
• Spartans goalkeeper Hannah Miller (Langley, B.C.) has been a tough obstacle to get past for opposing attacks, only conceding a total of three goals through all nine Canada West matches so far. Miller and the Spartans have posted a clean-sheet in seven of nine matches thus far.

 
QUOTABLE
TWU Head Coach Graham Roxburgh
"I didn't think we were very good in the first half which was a little bit confusing since we had worked hard on making sure we make good decisions. UVIC made it hard for us to play but we made poor decisions.
 
"We challenged our players in the second half. Anna Dunn's individual work-rate, skill, and heart carried us over the line to settle us down. Aliya's play for the third goal was beautiful, so there was some nice soccer in the final 40 minutes.
 
"We're going through some adversity with some injuries at the moment, so hopefully we have those girls back tomorrow."
 
UP NEXT
The Spartans face Victoria again on Saturday at 3p.m.
 
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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