LANGLEY, British Columbia – The No. 2 Victoria Vikes prevailed 40-36 over the No. 5 Trinity Western Spartans in a back-and-forth match Saturday afternoon at the Langley Rugby Club Field in Langley, B.C.
 
TWU led 24-12 at the break.
 
TWU's Matthew Willemse (Pietermaritzburg, South Africa) led the Spartans by scoring 21 of the team's points. Also scoring tries for the Spartans were Genaro Gandolfo Brignoli (Buenos Aires, Argentina), Lynden Duggan (Edinburgh, Scotland) and Dominik Krajsek (Surrey, B.C.).
 
TWU Scoring
12' – Genaro Gandolfo Brignoli TRY, Matthew Willemse CONVERSION (7-7)
16' – Lynden Duggan TRY, Matthew Willemse CONVERSION (14-7)
28' – Matthew Willemse TRY, Matthew Willemse CONVERSION (21-12)
40' – Matthew Willemse DROP GOAL (24-12)
67' – Matthew Willemse TRY, Matthew Willemse CONVERSION (31-33)
69' – Dominik Krajsek TRY (36-33)
 
UP NEXT
The Spartans will be on the road next week against the Pacific Pride on Saturday, September 28.
 
QUOTABLE
Trinity Western Head Coach Andrew Evans
"The amount of preparation that you need to beat a team like UVIC is substantial, and we are four- or five-points short today from getting a win. In the first half we were quite dangerous when we had the ball and were operating as a team. So we scored a good amount of points against a good UVIC team, so that was positive."
 
"Matt was quite dangerous as was Lynden, so we only need to keep find a way to get those guys firing for 80 minutes."
 
"In the second half it was fitness that did us in, and it will be a challenge for us to get fit midseason. But also, it was our team discipline and our self-discipline. We've got very high standards and we're not reaching those standards. So, fitness is one way and so is skill execution, which come from lack of preparation".
 
"I like that we're four points off from the one of the most dominant teams in the history of university rugby in Canada. Being within four points and challenging right to the very end is great. The amount of effort we are getting from our players makes it, so we are really, really close and I love that, and I love this team. There's so much effort out there, but there's more so much more to give, because qualification in BC is tougher than anywhere else and in the country. So, we've got to put in a lot more effort. But I love the challenge and we're going to keep walking towards it."
 
AS IT HAPPENED
The Vikes jumped out early with a converted try in the fifth minute to lead 7-0. The Spartans responded by scoring the next 14 points to take a 14-7 lead 17 minutes into the half. Victoria responded with an unconverted try in the 19th minute, but TWU finished the half scoring 19 straight points to lead 24-12 at the end of the first half.
 
Victoria dominated the early going of the second half scoring 21 straight points to take a 33-24 lead with 20 minutes remaining in the contest. TWU countered and scored 12 straight points to take a three-point 36-33 lead with 10 minutes remaining. In the back-and-forth contest the Vikes regained the lead, 40-36 with a converted try with seven minutes remaining. TWU got the ball deep into the Victoria end, but were unable to score as the Vikes held on for a four-point win.
 
NOTABLE

• The Spartans are 1-6 lifetime against the Vikes.
• TWU's lone win, 23-22, November 30, 2022.

 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.
 
-TW-