CALGARY– Trinity Western Spartans Kate Fawcett (Tottenham, Ont.) was exceptional in net tonight, but it wasn't enough as the Spartans dropped the opening game of the Canada West quarter-final 1-0 to the Mount Royal Cougars Friday night in Calgary. The win gives the Cougars a 1-0 advantage in the best-of-three series.
 
Fawcett made 32 saves in the loss, while MRU's Kaitlyn Ross made 23 saves in the win.
 
AS IT HAPPENED
Despite being on the penalty kill for six minutes of the opening period and being outshot 13-5 the Spartans were able to end the opening 20 tied 0-0 with the Cougars.
 
MRU's Athena Hauck scored the lone goal of the game at 16:06 of the second period. The lead would stay the same despite the Spartans again having a significant disadvantage in power-play opportunities. TWU ended the period with two power-play opportunities, while MRU ended with four, including ending the period playing three on five. MRU outshot TWU 13-11 in the period.
 
The Cougars started the final period playing five on three hockey, but the Spartans were able to kill off the penalties. TWU finished the final period with some of their best hockey but were unable to get the equalizer and dropped the open game to the home-town Cougars. Both teams had seven shots on goal in the final 20 minutes.
 
QUOTABLE
Jean Laforest – TWU Head Coach
"We are a very young team, in our second year in U SPORTS and we lack experience in the play-offs. I think five-on-five we are able to stay with Mount Royal. Our PK is really good, but we can't rely on it to win hockey games. They have a very good team and they have done an exceptional job over the last few years. Five-on-five statistically on the games where we have played them we are there. Our youth and lack of experience demonstrated itself in our play in the first two periods based on penalties. We just need to play five-on-five."
 
On Fawcett
"She has been phenomenal the whole second half of the season. We have relied on her quite heavily, and she played a great game today."
 
Fawcett – TWU player of the game on focus for tomorrow
"There were a couple of times when we shouldn't have taken penalties. But, refereeing play's into the game, so personal discipline is important. We need to come out strong tomorrow and get more shots at the beginning of the game and pick up the rebounds. We were really good in the third period tonight, so we just need to continue that into the game tomorrow."
 
NOTABLE
• The Spartans are now 0-9 lifetime against the Cougars. TWU was 0-4 vs MRU this season, their last meeting was a 4-3 loss at home in Langley, B.C.
• TWU finished the night with 23 shots on goal, while MRU finished with 33.
• The Spartans finished the night 0/2 on the power play, while the Cougars finished 0/8.
• Tonight's game was the first Canada West play-off game for the TWU women's hockey program.
 
UP NEXT
The Spartans and Cougars will play game two of the best-of-three series tomorrow night at 7 p.m. MT. Game three, if necessary, will be played Sunday night at 7 p.m. PT. The games 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 13 U SPORTS team championships and 32 Canada West team championships.
 
-TW-