HALIFAX, Nova Scotia – The No. 7 Trinity Western Spartans out shot the No. 5 Nipissing Lakers 15-8 in total shots, but the Lakers took advantage of an extra time corner kick to defeat the Spartans 1-0 in the U SPORTS women's soccer consolation final.
Scoring the lone goal of the match for Nipissing was Tori Patterson.
The Spartans and Lakers each had opportunities in the offensive third, but neither team was able to find the back of the net in the opening half. Trinity Western had a dominant second half and some quality chances in the Lakers penalty area and six-yard box. But TWU was unable to get a ball into the back of the Nipissing net. In added time the Lakers were able to convert on a corner kick and give Nipissing the win.
TWU second-year keeper
Yasmine Pahal (Surrey, B.C.) made five saves in the loss. While Nipissing's Hayden Hanley and Madison Heeley combined for seven saves in the Lakers win.
QUOTABLE
TWU head coach Graham Roxburgh
"A tough way to finish season after our kids fought so hard and did everything to deserve to win. Sometimes you don't bury your chances and in the end they get one really good chance, very unlucky goal. ?But that's kind of been the story of our season where we haven't buried our chances and left teams hanging around and then we've either tied a game or lost again that we shouldn't have. Credits to both teams in a game where players are probably just fighting through. In the end we came up short. But a really good, good effort from the group and got a chance to play some young kids, so in the end, it is what it is and we've had a good season. We've had some adversity and now we'll heal up and start focusing on next year."?
NOTABLE
- The Spartans had a 7-6 edge in shots on goal.
- TWU finished with six corner kicks to Nipissing's four.
- Nipissing committed 13 fouls to TWU's 10.
- The Spartans had 14 offsides called, while the Lakers had three.
- TWU arrived at the Consolation Final after a loss to No. 2 Laval 1-0 (5-4 PK) and a 3-0 win over the Victoria Vikes. Nipissing arrived after a 3-2 (4-2 PK) loss to No. 4 Cape Breton and a 1-0 (4-3 PK) win over Dalhousie.
- Today's match was the first time that the Spartans and Lakers have ever met.
- The Spartans are now 1-3 in consolation finals.
- Trinity Western is now 31-15-1 all-time at the U SPORTS championships.
- In their 15 previous championships TWU has competed in gold medal match 10 times, winning five times.
- The Spartans last championship victory was in 2013 when they defeated Montreal 1-0 in the final.
- Since 2004 this is TWU's 16th U SPORTS championship appearance, and their fourth straight.
- TWU finishes the season with an overall record of 12-9-7. They were 8-4-2 in conference play and 3-3 in the post season.
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 U 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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