Box Score CALGARY – Trinity Western will play for Canada West bronze and a spot in the U SPORTS Championship tournament on Saturday (1 p.m. MT) after losing 1-0 against top-ranked UBC in the conference semifinals Friday afternoon at McMahon Stadium. 

With the semifinal loss, the Spartans will take on Calgary, who lost 1-0 against Victoria in their semifinal contest, for the Canada West bronze medal. The winner of the bronze medal match will book a ticket to the 2024 U SPORTS Women's Soccer Championship, which will be hosted by Dalhousie University in Halifax Nov. 7-10. TWU will be looking to advance to the U SPORTS Championship tournament for the 14th time in the last 16 seasons. 

UBC's Jayda Thompson scored in the 18th minute in what would ultimately stand as the game-winner. 

In a rematch of both last year's CW Final and the U SPORTS Championship Final, TWU was outshot 9-7 in the contest, with Spartans netminder Yasmine Pahal making six saves. 
 
In the 18th minute, Thompson created something out of nothing. The third-year forward carried the ball into the corner, where he defender stumbled and fell for a brief moment. Thompson seized the opportunity, weaving into the box and blasting her shot upper 90 far post to give the No. 1 team in the nation the early lead.
    
QUOTABLE
Graham Roxburgh, TWU Head Coach 
"It was a battle and our defenders were very good to deal with their directness. However, we were guilty of poor decisions in trying to play forward and in giving the ball away.  I was encouraged by our heart and compete level, but we just have to make better decisions in the final third. Calgary's at home tomorrwo and we're going to need to be sharper in possession and create better chances if we want to make it to nationals."

NOTABLE
•    The Spartans are 0-3 this year against the Thunderbirds, but TWU has closed the gap on UBC each time out throughout the season, having previously lost 4-0 and 2-0. 
•    This year will mark just the second time in 13 seasons that TWU will not play in the Canada West final, as the Spartans had played in 11 of the last 12 conference championship games.
•    TWU advanced to the Canada West semifinals with a 1-0 win over MacEwan. 
•    The Spartans are playing in the Canada West Final Four for the 23rd time in the last 24 seasons. 

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 and women's and men's disc golf. 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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