CALGARY, Alberta – The Trinity Western Spartans used a solid team effort to make program history with their 4-2 win over the Calgary Dinos Saturday night at the Father David Bauer Arena in Calgary, Alta. The win gives the Spartans a 2-0 series sweep of the Dinos, marking the first time in program history that the Spartans have advanced to the Canada West semi-finals.
Scoring for the Spartans were fifth-year forward
Chloe Reid (Leduc, Alta.) with two goals, third-year forward
Kyra Anderson (Regina, Sask.) with a power play goal, and fifth-year forward
Olivia Leier (Regina, Sask.) with an empty net goal
Scoring for the Dinos were Josie McLeod and Bree Kennedy.
Trinity Western fifth-year goalie
Kate Fawcett (Tottenham, Ont.) made 15 saves in the Spartans' win. Calgary's Maisie Cope made 27 saves in the Dinos loss.
UP NEXT
The Spartans will now advance to face the No. 1 UBC Thunderbirds in a best-of-three Canada West semi-finals February 27 – March 1. The first game is scheduled for a 12 p.m. (PT) puck drop in Vancouver, B.C., and can be seen live on Canada West TV.
QUOTABLE
Peter Hay, TWU Head Coach
"What an amazing accomplishment for these girls. The seniors are leaving a legacy. Every player made a big difference and contributed in so many ways. It was a real team effort and a series sweep. Taps was outstanding and proved once again why she's considered a top goalie in this league. We get to travel home happy and get ready to play in a semifinal series, which is the first time in program history. We will enjoy this moment, but as a team, we will continue to run this machine and find a way to give UBC, a number one-ranked team in Canada, everything we have.
Chloe Reid, TWU forward
"As a group, we have just wanted this so bad. This is only the third time in our program history that we've actually made playoffs, and we have quite a big group of graduating girls, so I think losing in the first round the past two times was hard, and we knew how hard it was. I think that really drove a lot of us older players to really try to push through and bring the fight, and the younger girls bring such a good energy that it really backed up that experience we have."
AS IT HAPPENED
The first period began with a defensive stand by the Trinity Western Spartans, as Calgary was unable to capitalize on a power play at 11:36. At 16:56, Reid broke the deadlock for the Spartans, scoring her first goal of the night with an assist from
Kailey Ledoux. The opening 20 minutes ended with Trinity Western holding a 1–0 lead over the Dinos. TWU finished with a 7-4 edge in shots.
The Spartans dominated the second period, outshooting the Dinos 16-6. TWU extended their lead with Reid scoring at 4:11 to put the Spartans up 2-0. Shortly after, Calgary's Sydney Mercier received a two-minute penalty for bodychecking at 7:17, giving the Spartans a power play. Anderson capitalized on the power play at 7:40 to put TWU up 3-0. The Spartans ended the period killing a Dinos power play to finish the first 40 minutes with a 3-0 lead.
Calgary narrowed the gap in the final frame with a goal by McLeod at 15:19, assisted by Kyla Mitenko and
Brooklyn Anderson. But just 24 seconds later, Leier got her second of the night by capitalizing on an empty-net goal, assisted by Anderson, to extend the lead back to three goals, 4–1. Calgary made the final a two-goal, 4-2 margin with a goal at 19:04 from Kennedy, assisted by Solana Cooper and Alex Spence. TWU outshot Calgary 8-7 in the final period.
NOTABLE
- The Spartans outshot the Dinos 31-17.
- TWU was 1-3 on the power play, while Calgary was 0-2.
- In game one on Friday night, the Spartans defeated the Dinos 5-1
- Earlier this year, the Spartans lost 3-2 in overtime and 2-0 in regulation to the Dinos on November 14-15 in Calgary, Alta.
- Last season, when the teams were in the same division, TWU finished 5-1 against the Dinos.
- The Spartans are currently 9-10 lifetime against Calgary.
- Last year, the Spartans lost the Canada West quarter finals 2-1 to the Manitoba Bisons, on the road in Winnipeg, Man.
- Reid now has 19 goals and 44 points in her 130 games as a Spartan.
- With the win, Fawcett now has 35 wins in her five years as a Spartan.
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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