LANGLEY, British Columbia –Trinity Western rookie forward Jace Wiebe (Langley, B.C.) got the game-winner with his first goal as a Spartan to lead TWU to a 2-1 victory over the visiting UBC Okanagan Heat Saturday night at Chase Office Field in Langley, B.C. The victory puts the Spartans at a 2-0-0 to start the season, while dropping the Heat to 1-1-0.

TWU third-year keeper Yeshua Silwamba (Maple Ridge, B.C.) made two saves to earn his second win of the season, while UBC Okanagan's Tyson Gugushe made four saves in the loss.

Third-year forward Charles Nana (Calgary, Alta.) opened the scoring in the 13^th minute for Trinity Western. Nana took a pass from second-year forward Keishean Francois (White Rock, B.C.) and found the lower left side of the UBC Okanagan net to put TWU up 1-0.

UBC Okanagan third-year forward Zach MacInnes tied the match in the 24^th minute. MacInnes picked up a loose ball in the Spartans' end and sent a shot off of a charging Silwamba and into the top of the TWU net to make it 1-1.

Wiebe got the game-winner for the Spartans in the 62^nd minute. Wiebe took a perfect pass from third-year defender Luca Alberti (Burnaby, B.C.), who had gone up the left side of the pitch and into the penalty area. Luca passed the ball across the UBC Okanagan Heat's six-yard box to a wide-open Wiebe who sent the ball into the top of the UBC Okanagan net.

QUOTABLE
TWU Head Coach Mike Shearon
"I thought that we started off well and we had a lot of the play in the first 15 minutes. Then we scored and I felt like we stopped doing what was helping us be successful. And it was probably a bit of a wake-up call for them and they started to move a little bit more and take some of their pressing seriously. We have to learn to be the same team over and over again over the 90 minutes. It is learning for this group. We are missing a few guys who started last night, and we were a bit heavy-legged and we need to continue to learn how to manage these games."
 
"We struggled a little bit with our ball retention and playing passes that we can receive in the areas that we want to receive them. Which I think was part of being a bit tired and it being early in the season and not completely game-fit and completely tuned in mentally. But overall a good weekend and we will take the wins."
 
NOTABLE
The Spartans outshot the Heat 9-5 and 6-4 in shots on goal. TWU also had the edge in corner kicks at 5-2.
The Spartans committed 14 fouls, while the Heat finished with nine fouls.
TWU enters the 2023 season ranked No. 5 in the Canada West pre-season coaches' poll, while UBC Okanagan is ranked No. 11.
Last season the Spartans finished fifth, 6-8-2, in the Canada West Pacific Division last season.
TWU had 23 goals last season (4^th) while giving up 25 goals (8^th).
The Heat finished sixth, 4-7-4 in the Canada West Pacific Division last season.
UBC Okanagan scored 20 goals last season (8^th), while surrendering 31 goals (12^th).
TWU is currently 8-5-4 lifetime against UBC-O. Trinity Western and UBC Okanagan split last season with the Spartans winning 2-1 at home and then losing 3-1 on the road in Kelowna, B.C.
The Spartans defeated the TRU WolfPack 1-0 Friday night at TWU, while the Heat defeated the Fraser Valley Cascades 1-0 Friday night in Abbotsford, B.C.
The last time the Spartans swept the opening weekend of the season was in 2016 when they defeated the UNBC Timberwolves 2-1 and 2-0 in Prince George, B.C.
 
UP NEXT
The Spartans will continue their home stand next weekend when they host the UNBC Timberwolves on Friday, September 1, and Saturday, September 2. Game time is set for 7:15 p.m. on both nights and 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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