ELLENSBURG, Wash. – Trinity Western scored eight tries, but it wasn't quite enough in a high-scoring and thrilling contest with No. 6-ranked Central Washington, as the Spartans lost 57-48 Saturday afternoon at Steve Hertling Field at Tomlinson Stadium.

In a game featuring several massive momentum swings, TWU scored 26 straight points to end the first half before CWU responded with 24 consecutive points to open the second half. TWU got back within seven points, 50-43, with four minutes to go, but a CWU try sealed the win for the home side. A Spartans try on the last play of the game rounded out the scoring. 

TWU's Ethan Jurgeneit and Lynden Duggan scored two tries apiece, while Grayson Hardie, Genaro Gandolfo, Fynn Murphy and Connor Bernardin tallied singles. Murphy also slotted four conversions to finish with a team-leading 13 points in the Spartans final contest of the 2024-25 season. 

QUOTABLE
Andrew Evans, TWU Head Coach
"Our graduating seniors can be proud of their last 1st XV match and their representation of Trinity Western. Our mission is to develop Godly Christian leaders, and these five who played their last match certainly fulfilled that mission. 

"Grayson, Josiah, Lynden, Seth (Klassen) and Jan (Lourens) led one of the most exciting matches of our program in hostile Wildcat territory, against a top D1A team. The difference maker in the result was our poor team discipline that cost us two yellow cards. Finishing so close to CWU while playing short a man for 20 minutes is bittersweet. 

"These men have set a great example for the younger Spartans to follow, an example of Faith. There are greater things to come."

TWU SCORING
13th – Ethan Jurgeneit TRY (5-12)
23rd – Graydon Hardie TRY (Fynn Murphy conversion) (12-12)
33rd – Lynden Duggan TRY (Fynn Murphy conversion) (19-12)
38th – Ethan Jurgeneit TRY (Fynn Murphy conversion) (26-12)

61st – Genaro Gandolfo TRY (31-36)
72nd – Fynn Murphy TRY (36-50)
76th – Lynden Duggan TRY (Fynn Murphy conversion) (43-50)
80th – Connor Bernardin TRY 

AS IT HAPPENED 
After the Wildcats took an early 12-0 lead, TWU struck back in impressive fashion, scoring four consecutive tries and putting up 26 straight points to take a 26-12 lead into halftime. 

Jurgeneit opened the scoring after driving through the CWU defence after a tap-and-go off a penalty in the 13th minute. TWU drew even, with Hardie dotting down in the 23rd minute and Murphy slotting the conversion. 

In the 33rd minute, Duggan scored in impressive fashion in the 33rd minute. Flyhalf Josiah Levale sent a perfectly placed cross-field kick into the hands of a hard-running Matthew Willemse, who offloaded to Duggan before the TWU winger ran it in from 40 metres out.  

Jurgeneit scored again just before halftime and, with Murphy's third straight conversion, the Spartans were ahead by 14 points at the break. 

CWU opened the second half with 24 points in a row to give the Wildcats a 36-26 lead. However, in the 61st minute, Gandolfo scored in response, side-stepping a pair of Wildcat defenders to get TWU's first try of the second half. 

Murphy found the try zone himself in the 72nd minute before another brilliant try from Duggan in the 76th minute. Playing in his final game as a Spartan, the graduating senior sprinted after a Willemse kick and corralled a bouncing ball right on the line to make it a seven-point game, 50-43.

The teams traded tries over the final four minutes.

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.  

-TW-