LANGLEY, British Columbia – The Trinity Western Spartans used a six-minute scoring spree to defeat the visiting UNBC Timberwolves 5-1 Friday night at Chase Office Field in Langley, B.C. The win moves the Spartans to 8-3-2, while the loss drops the Timberwolves to 1-12.
 
The Spartan win keeps TWU in second place in the Pacific Division with 26 points, three points ahead of third place Victoria with 23 points with one game remaining in conference play. A Spartan tie or win, or a Victoria tie or loss will give TWU second place in the division. A loss by the Spartans and a Vikes victory will give Victoria second spot and a home play-off game next week.
 
Scoring for the Spartans were fifth-year midfielder Maddie Melnychuk (Langley, B.C), fifth-year forward Payton Izsak (Prince Albert, Sask.), second-year forward Mansha Sidhu (Surrey, B.C.), third-year midfield Emily Watchman (Edmonton, Alta.), and first-year forward Caitlin Cooper (Abbotsford, B.C.). Scoring the lone goal for the Timberwolves was Camryn Cline.

Second-year keeper Yasmine Paul (Surrey, B.C.) made three saves in the Spartans win, while the Timberwolves Brityn Hinsche made eight saves in the UNBC loss.

UP NEXT
The Spartans will finish off Canada West conference play tomorrow when they host the UBC Thunderbirds. Match time is set to kick off at 5 p.m. at Chase Office Field and can be seen live on Canada West TV. 

QUOTABLE
TWU head coach Graham Roxburgh
"Was really pleased with the start and our mindset. We moved the ball really well and were rewarded for some really good movement and decisions. Maddie's cross to Payton was beautiful and a great finish.  Our execution early was good. The game got a bit sloppy under the circumstances but really pleased with our group tonight."

AS IT HAPPENED
The Spartans started strong and pinned the Timberwolves in their own end. TWU's early pressure paid off with four goals in six minutes. Melnychuk started the scoring by finishing a square ball from Sidhu in the 11th minute. Iszak made it 2-0 when she headed a near post cross from Melnychuk in the 13th minute. Sidhu got her own in the 15th minute when she hit the top corner on a pass back from fourth-year forward Charity Field (Burnaby, B.C.) to make it 3-0. TWU's Watchman converted a ball that UNBC's Hinsche could not handle to make in 4-0 for the Spartans in the 17th minute. UNBC got on the board by making the most of a free kick in the Spartans end of the field. Kjera Hayman sent a hard shot at the TWU net, which Pahal was unable to handle in the wet conditions. The Timberwolves Camryn Cline was there to pick up the lose ball and make it a 4-1 score in the 23rd minute.  TWU outshot UNBC 14-3 in total shots and 9-3 in shots on goal in the first half.
 
TWU's Cooper scored the only goal of the second half when she redirected a shot from second-year Jenna Rizzo (Surrey, B.C.) inside the far post in the 88th minute to make the final 5-1 for the Spartans.
 
NOTABLE

• TWU outshot the UNBC 24-4 in total shots with a 13-4 edge in shots on goal.
• The Spartans had eight corner kicks to the Timberwolves one.
• Trinity Western is now 14-0-1 lifetime against UNBC. The Spartans defeated the Timberwolves 3-1 in Prince George, B.C. earlier this season.
• Last week the Spartans defeated the Fraser Valley Cascades 4-0, and 4-2, in a home and home series.
• Last week the UNBC Timberwolves and the UBC Thunderbirds matched up in Prince George, B.C. with the Thunderbirds winning back-to-back games 7-0.
• Saturday night is senior night for the Spartans Maddie Melnychuk, Charity Field, Tilly James (Vancouver, B.C.), Payton Izsak, Olivia Kranjcec (Okotoks, Alta.), and Sarah Bazille (Coquitlam, B.C.).

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.

About Trinity Western University
Recognized for quality, TWU has received seven consecutive A+ rankings for Quality of Teaching and Learning, holds three Canada Research Chairs, and wins national championships in CIS sports. More importantly, lives are changed at TWU through its whole-person, Christ-centred approach to education. With a wide array of undergraduate, graduate, and adult degree-completion programs, TWU equips leaders of character and competence to make a positive impact in the lives of others. 
 
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