LANGLEY, British Columbia – Fifth-year forward
Xander Roxburgh (Langley, B.C.) scored in the 72nd minute to give the Trinity Western Spartans a 1-0 win over the UBC Okanagan Heat Friday night at Chase Office Field in Langley, B.C. The Spartans held the Heat without a shot on goal as TWU earned its second consecutive victory to improve to 5-6-2 in Canada West conference play, while UBC Okanagan falls to 0-12-0.
Roxburgh scored the lone goal just into the 72nd minute, with first-year defender
Romeo Strauss (White Rock, B.C.) earning the assist.
TWU first-year goalkeeper
Jakob Frank (Delta, B.C.) played the full 90 minutes without having to make a save to earn his third shutout of the season. Ronan Woodroffe made three saves in the loss for the Heat.
UP NEXT
The Spartans will finish their regular-season home schedule tomorrow, hosting the Thompson Rivers WolfPack at Chase Office Field in Langley, B.C. Match time is set for 7:15 p.m. (PT) and can be seen live on Canada West TV.
QUOTABLE
Mike Shearon, TWU Head Coach
"Tonight was a night where I thought we played well; I thought, we controlled a lot of the game. We had a lot of the ball, and we had a lot of chances. We just couldn't will the ball in the net. Thankfully, Xander got the one, and we're unlucky not to score a couple more. But that's kind of how soccer works. ?In the end, we got what we needed. We needed a win tonight. And we go again tomorrow, and we give everything that we have and continue to fight to become the best team that we're capable of being."
AS IT HAPPENED
The Spartans generated an early opportunity when second-year forward
Marc Huizenga (Vancouver, B.C.) forced Woodroffe into a save just over a minute into the match. TWU kept creating chances but couldn't find the opening goal. Second-year forward
Tim Pritchard (White Rock, B.C.) had his attempt stopped in the 27th minute as the teams remained scoreless.
The Heat's two first-half attempts missed the target, with a Carter Brown header going wide and a Fope Amure shot going high. TWU finished the opening 45 minutes with an 8-2 advantage in total shots, a 2-0 edge in shots on goal, and a 5-2 advantage in corner kicks.
Roxburgh entered the match at halftime as the Spartans continued to push for the opening goal. Second-year defender
Gabriel Moore (Ottawa, Ont.) tested Woodroffe just 18 seconds into the second half, but the Heat keeper made the stop.
TWU broke through in the 72nd minute. After sending an attempt high moments earlier, Roxburgh scored off a pass from Strauss to put the Spartans ahead 1-0 with just under 19 minutes remaining.
The Spartans held the Heat to one blocked shot in the second half and did not allow another attempt after taking the lead. TWU finished with a 7-1 edge in second-half shots to secure the shutout win.
NOTABLE
- The Spartans outshot the Heat 15-3 in total shots and 4-0 in shots on goal.
- TWU finished with a 6-3 advantage in corner kicks.
- Roxburgh's goal was his third of the season, moving him into the team lead.
- Roxburgh made his 60th career Canada West appearance, moving into a tie for fifth in Spartan history. His goal was his fourth career conference match-winner.
- Frank's three shutouts this season have all come in 1-0 victories.
- The Spartans are unbeaten in their last four home matches, with three wins and a draw.
- TWU is now 11-7-6 against UBC Okanagan in Canada West conference play, including an 8-1-4 record at home.
- The Spartans are unbeaten in their last five meetings with the Heat. TWU won the teams' first meeting this season 3-1 on August 27 in Kelowna, B.C.
- Woodroffe's three saves give him 347 for his Canada West career, nine behind conference record holder Tyrone Venhola's 356. Woodroffe also made his 61st career conference appearance, tying for second in Canada West history.
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 15 U SPORTS team championships and 35 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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