Scheduled Game: VICTORIA*

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GAME RESULTS 1 2 T Victoria 0 1 1 TRINITY WESTERN 2 0 2 « FINAL

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Game Recap

MEN’S SOCCER (CANADA WEST)
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2012
TRINITY WESTERN (2) VICTORIA (1)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TWO EARLY GOALS SPARK SPARTANS TO WIN

LANGLEY, British Columbia – The No. 8 Trinity Western men’s soccer team scored two goals in the first 15 minutes and then hung on the rest of the way as it earned a 2-1 win over unranked Victoria Saturday at Rogers Field.

The win assures the Spartans of at least a second place finish in the Pacific Division and, with a pair of games against division-leading UBC, keeps TWU in the hunt for first place as it heads into the final weekend of the season. The victory also improves the Spartans record to 9-1-2 on the season while the loss drops Victoria to 5-5-2.

The setback also means the Vikes are still just four points clear of fourth place Fraser Valley for the third and final playoff position in the Pacific Division.

The Spartans Cam Parkes (North Delta, B.C.) scored in the 14th minute and then Jarvis Ambaka (Maragoli, Kenya) doubled their lead just over a minute later with what would turn out to be his league-leading fourth game-winning goal. Victoria’s Cam Stokes (Richmond, B.C.) scored in stoppage time to cut TWU’s lead in half just before the final whistle.

“I thought we played exceptionally well,” said Spartans coach Pat Rohla. “We tried a different formation and the guys responded well and gave us a ‘Plan B’ knowing that we’re going into the playoffs. Unfortunately we didn’t get the goose egg but overall I’m really pleased for the guys. A lot of work went into tonight. It was a good response from last night when we didn’t have our best performance. Hats off to our guys for taking the first 20 minutes by storm and really playing well.”

The Spartans looked like a team on a mission off the start as they put Friday’s poor performance behind them and pushed the game’s pace early on.

And in the 14th minute, Parkes scored the earliest goal the Spartans have notched all year.

Captain Brayden Volkenant (Surrey, B.C.) made a sharp cut into the middle off the right flank and sent a long-ball into the box that found Parkes all alone and the Spartans striker made no mistake, booting the ball past Vikes goalie Elliot Mitrou (Victoria) to the top right corner for his fourth goal of the season. With that helper, Volkenant now has four assists on the year.

Just over a minute later, TWU scored its second of the night when Andrew Phillips (Lake Errock, B.C.) sent a ball into the box from the left side of the pitch that found the foot of an awaiting Ambaka, who one-touched it to the top left corner for his eighth goal of the season. Ambaka, who potted the game-winner in both games this weekend, has now scored in four straight contests and has a marker in seven of his last nine outings. For Phillips, it was his fourth assist of the campaign.

Shortly beyond the 20-minute mark, Victoria found its legs and started to push back.

The Vikes best chance of the half came in the 24th minute when Craig Taylor (Victoria) sent a low drive on goal that forced Lowther make a diving save, moving from left to right, to keep the Vikes off the board.

Nine minutes later, the Vikes nearly broke through again as a scramble off a Sam Prette (Victoria) corner kick saw a bouncing ball directed towards the Spartans net, but it was cleared just off the line by a TWU defender.

Early in the second half, Lowther had to be sharp for TWU as he needed to make three saves on Prette in the first 20 minutes alone.

But after that, despite some pressure at times, the Vikes rarely challenged Lowther with top-quality chances and the Spartans did well to hold Victoria’s offence largely at bay.

The Spartans nearly made it a three-goal game in the 85th minute when Kalem Scott (Comox, B.C.) raced down the right wing and got a clear-cut shot from inside the 18-yard box but his attempt was stopped by Mitrou.

In the waning minutes of stoppage time, the Vikes broke Lowther’s shutout bid.

Off a corner kick from Bobby Eng (Victoria), Stokes found a bouncing ball in the box and chipped it over Lowther and into the top right corner.

Lowther finished with seven saves in the win while Mitrou stopped four of the six shots the Spartans put on target.

Game Notes: Victoria outshot TWU 15-12 and had an 8-6 edge in shots on target…Victoria’s Gavin Garrett (Richmond, B.C.) was the lone player booked as he was shown a yellow card in the 83rd minute.

-TW-

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