PRINCE GEORGE, British Columbia –The Trinity Western Spartans extended their winning streak to five games with a convincing 5-0 win over the UNBC Timberwolves Friday night at Masich Place Stadium in Prince George, B.C. The win improves the Spartans to 7-2-0, while the loss keeps the Timberwolves winless at 0-10-1.
 
Scoring for the Spartans were second-year midfielder Sidney Giesbrecht (Chilliwack, B.C.), first-year defender Rhianna MacDonald (Chilliwack, B.C.), third-year midfielder Lianna Hollz (Richmond, B.C), and second-year midfielder Lucy Haigh (Victoria, B.C.). The fifth goal was an own goal off a Timberwolves defender.
 
Yasmine Pahal made one save in the Spartans' shutout win. UNBC's Johanna Rathke made six saves in the Timberwolves' loss.
 
UP NEXT
After a day off the Spartans and Timberwolves will match up again on Sunday, October at 12 p.m. (PT) at Masich Place Stadium in Prince George, B.C. The game can be seen live on CanadaWest.TV.
 
QUOTABLE
Graham Roxburgh, TWU Head Coach
"Tonight was a really good win for our team because of some of the contributions from players that we've asked to step up, and they did."
 
"I thought UNBC defended deep and tenaciously and made it hard for us in the first half, so the goal by Sidney Giesbrecht was timely at the end of the first half. That just settled us down. I was really impressed with our maturity in the second half, and our hunger to win the ball back."
 
"It was great to get minutes for Bryana Buttar (fifth-year, Abbotsford, B.C.) and Charis Wardrobe, as well as to have great contributions from girls like Lucy Haigh and Caitlin Cooper (second-year, Abbotsford, B.C.). Rhianna scored a great goal, and Sophie Crowther was dangerous all night, and I was really impressed with Kate Paukovic on her debut."
 
"I'm just pleased that in the end we were able to generate lots of chances and we took them."

AS IT HAPPENED
The Spartans' Giesbrecht got the lone goal of the first half in stoppage time. Giesbrecht took a pass from third-year forward Charis Wardrope (Maple Ridge, B.C.) at the top of the UNBC penalty area and put the ball just under the bar to give TWU a 1-0 lead after the opening 45 minutes of play.
 
TWU started quickly in the second half with MacDonald converting a corner kick from third-year forward Mansha Sidhu (Surrey, B.C.) with a header back inside the near post to put TWU up 2-0 in the 47th minute. Holz made it a three-goal margin for the Spartans eight minutes later. After a goal-mouth scramble, Holz took a pass from third-year forward Emily Watchman (Maple Ridge, B.C.) and found the back of the Timberwolves' net to put the Spartans up 3-0 in the 56th minute. Wardrope got her second assist of the half when she picked up a ball in the UNBC penalty area and sent a ball back to Haigh, who sent the ball into the top of the Timberwolves' net to give the Spartans a 4-0 lead in the 85th minute. TWU's Haigh got the Spartans their final goal of the night on an Own Goal off her free kick in the 90th minute, making the final 5-0 for the Spartans.
 
NOTABLE

• The Spartans outshot the Timberwolves 26-1 in total shots, and 13-1 in shots on goal.
• TWU finished with a 7-0 edge in corners.
• Last week, the Spartans defeated the Thompson Rivers WolfPack 2-1 and the UBC Okanagan Heat 1-0 in Langley, B.C. at Chase Office Field.
• Last weekend the Timberwolves went 0-1-1 against the Victoria Vikes, tying 0-0 and losing 4-1 in Victoria, B.C.
• The Spartans are currently 15-0-1 lifetime against the Timberwolves. The lone 1-1 tie was on October 1, 2022, in Langley, B.C.

 
About Spartan Athletics
As official members of U SPORTS, the Spartans currently compete in 11 sports in the Canada West conference, including women's and men's soccer, volleyball, basketball, hockey and track & field, as well as women's rugby sevens. TWU also competes as in the NAIA in track and field and cross country and 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 33 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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