LANGLEY, British Columbia — A single second-half goal proved to be the difference as the Trinity Western Spartans fell 1-0 to the No. 9 Victoria Vikes on Friday evening at Chase Office Field in Langley, B.C. The result moved the Vikes to 3-2-0 and dropped the Spartans to 2-4-1.
Griffin Leach scored the match's lone goal in the 67th minute, helping Victoria avenge last Sunday's 1-0 loss to TWU in Victoria.
The two sides combined for just 10 shots in a tightly contested defensive match. First-year goalkeeper
Jakob Frank (Delta, B.C.) made one save for the Spartans, while Victoria's Callum Weir stopped both shots he faced to earn the clean sheet.
UP NEXT
The Spartans host the UNBC Timberwolves on Saturday at Chase Office Field in the second meeting between the teams in eight days. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. (PT), with the match available live on Canada West TV.
AS IT HAPPENED
Clear scoring opportunities were scarce throughout the opening 45 minutes.
Victoria produced the first attempt in the 16th minute when Takin Keshavarz sent a header over the crossbar. TWU responded in the 30th minute as first-year forward
Elijah Bean (Edmonton, AB) forced Weir to make the match's first save.
The Vikes nearly opened the scoring five minutes later, but Frank turned aside Felipe Morales Moya's shot.
Garreth Rayner had the Spartans' final opportunity of the half in the 42nd minute, sending an attempt into a Victoria defender.
The teams entered halftime scoreless, with Victoria holding a 3-2 advantage in shots. Each side put one attempt on target.
Fifth-year forward
Xander Roxburgh (Langley, B.C.), who entered the match at halftime, tested Weir in the 58th minute with TWU's best opportunity of the second half. The Victoria goalkeeper made the save to keep the match scoreless.
Leach broke the deadlock at 66:26. Evan Larson found Leach on the right side of the penalty area, where the Victoria forward took a touch before finishing for his first goal of the season.
Roxburgh nearly supplied an equalizer in the 74th minute, but his header was blocked. Victoria's Ole Cameron came close to extending the lead in the 82nd minute when his shot struck the crossbar.
The Vikes protected their one-goal advantage through the closing minutes to secure the victory and split the teams' two regular-season meetings.
NOTABLE
- Victoria outshot TWU 6-4, with each team recording two shots on goal.
- The Vikes held a 2-1 advantage in corner kicks.
- Friday's match produced only 10 total shots and four shots on goal.
- TWU is now 22-31-4 all-time against Victoria and 21-25-4 in conference play.
- The Spartans earned four points on the road last weekend, drawing UNBC 2-2 before defeating Victoria 1-0.
- Last Sunday's victory ended Victoria's six-match winning streak in the series.
- Victoria, ranked No. 9 in U SPORTS, split its two meetings with TWU after opening last weekend with a 4-0 victory over Thompson Rivers.
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 and field, as well as women's rugby sevens. TWU also competes independently in men's rugby and women's and men's disc golf. Since joining 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 and holds three Canada Research Chairs. Through its whole-person, Christ-centred approach to education, TWU offers a wide range of undergraduate, graduate and adult degree-completion programs that equip leaders of character and competence to make a positive impact in the lives of others.
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