REGINA, Saskatchewan – In their first road game of the Canada West season the Trinity Western Spartans used timely scoring and solid goalkeeping to defeat the Regina Cougars 2-1 Friday night at the Co-operators Centre in Regina, B.C. The win improves the Spartans to 2-0-1, while the loss drops the Cougars to 0-4-1.

TWU third-year goalie Kate Fawcett (Tottenham, Ont.) made 23 saves to earn the win, while Regina's Arden Kliewer made 29 saves in the loss.

Third-year forward Kate Klassen (Chilliwack, B.C.) and third-year forward Ashlee Wolfe (Holbein, Sask.) were the goal scores for the Spartans, while Makena Kushniruk scored the lone goal for the Cougars.

AS IT HAPPENED
Trinity Western scored just 61 seconds into the game. Second-year defence Ella Boon's (Vanderhoof, B.C.) shot from the right circle was saved, but Klassen pounced on the rebound and put it in on the backhand to give the Spartans the early lead.

The second period also featured an early goal, this time for the Cougars. Makena Kushniruk took the puck out of the corner and sent in a shot from the right half wall for her third goal of the young campaign.

TWU got what would turn out to be the game-winning goal early in the third period on a fine individual effort from Wolfe. Wolfe blocked a point shot in her own zone, then beat a U of R defender on a 1-on-1 and went to her backhand to score her first of the season.

QUOTABLE
TWU Head Coach Peter Hay
"Regina played a very hard game and made things difficult for us, but I am very happy with how our team stayed together and played in synergy and as a committee and found a way to win and get two big points on the road."
"The defence played with confidence and made great decisions, while our forwards put their bodies on the line and took care of the little details. Big goals from Kate with a highlight real finish from Ashlee. Fawcett played great in net. Tomorrow will be another test to get the weekend sweep four points."

NOTABLE

• TWU finished with a 31-24 advantage in shots.
• Neither team was able to score on the power play. Trinity Western was 0-for-2 while Regina was 0-for-5.
• The Spartans entered the 2023-24 Canada West season ranked 7th in the Canada West preseason coaches' poll, while the Cougars were ranked 8th.
• The Spartans are 4-1 lifetime against the Cougars.

UP NEXT
The two teams will meet again on Saturday night at The Co-operators Centre. Puck drop is set for 5:00 p.m. (MT). The game can be seen live on CanadaWest.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 14 U SPORTS team championships and 34 Canada West team championships.
 
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