LANGLEY, British Columbia – Fourth-year goalkeeper
Yasmine Pahal (Surrey, B.C.) recorded the 21st shutout of her Spartans career and fourth-year forward
Mansha Sidhu (Surrey, B.C.) converted a second-half penalty kick to lift the No. 8 Trinity Western Spartans to a 1-0 victory over the UNBC Timberwolves Saturday evening at Chase Office Field.
The victory was TWU's second 1-0 win over UNBC in eight days and moves the Spartans to 3-1-2. The loss drops the Timberwolves to 0-6-0.
Sidhu scored the game's lone goal on a penalty kick in the 48th minute after being taken down inside the UNBC penalty area.
Pahal made three saves in 90 minutes for the Spartans. Second-year goalkeeper Johanna Rathke (Göttingen, Germany) made five saves for the Timberwolves.
UP NEXT
The Spartans will head west for two road matches next weekend. TWU will visit the UBC Okanagan Heat Friday, September 25 at 5 p.m. (PT) in Kelowna, B.C., before taking on the UBC Thunderbirds Saturday, September 26 at 6 p.m. (PT) in Vancouver. Both matches can be seen live on Canada West TV.
QUOTABLE
Graham Roxburgh, TWU Head Coach
"Was really pleased with a lot of how we played tonight. Some more clinical finishing and I think that game gets less tricky but I thought UNBC were good and made it hard to play in the final third. Veronica and Bella were great additions an,d everyone worked really hard. So pleased to see us respond to the disappointment of last night."
AS IT HAPPENED
TWU fifth-year forward
Charis Wardrope (Maple Ridge, B.C.) nearly opened the scoring in the 20th minute when her shot from the left side of the penalty area struck the UNBC crossbar. Rathke kept the game scoreless with saves on fifth-year forward
Sophie Crowther (New Westminster, B.C.) in the 32nd minute and third-year midfielder
Veronica Walter (Calgary) in the 45th minute. At the other end, Pahal denied UNBC's best opportunity of the opening half in the 43rd minute. Keeley Read fired a high shot from inside the TWU penalty area, but Pahal reached up to tip the attempt over the crossbar. The teams went into halftime tied 0-0. TWU held a 7-3 advantage in total shots, while each team put three shots on goal.
The Spartans broke through less than three minutes into the second half. Sidhu split the UNBC back line before being taken down inside the penalty area. She stepped to the spot and converted the ensuing penalty kick to give TWU a 1-0 lead in the 48th minute. Walter nearly doubled the advantage in the 70th minute, but Rathke got a hand on her point-blank attempt to keep the Timberwolves within one. The Spartans controlled much of the remaining play and held UNBC without a shot in the second half to secure their second consecutive 1-0 victory over the Timberwolves.
NOTABLE
- The Spartans outshot the Timberwolves 18-5 overall and 6-3 in shots on goal.
- TWU held a 12-4 advantage in corner kicks.
- The Spartans are 18-0-1 all-time against UNBC, with every meeting coming in Canada West conference play.
- TWU has won seven consecutive matches against the Timberwolves.
- The Spartans defeated UNBC 1-0 on September 11 in Prince George, B.C.
- TWU entered Saturday's match following a 0-0 draw with Victoria Friday night at Chase Office Field. UNBC lost 2-0 to Fraser Valley Friday in Abbotsford, B.C.
- Pahal's shutout was the 21st of her Spartans career, tying Angela Garriott ('04) for third place on TWU's career list.
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 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.
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