Scheduled Game: Manitoba - CW Quarter-Finals

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GAME RESULTS 1 2 T MANITOBA 0 0 0 Trinity Western 2 0 2 « FINAL

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Game Recap

WOMEN’S SOCCER (CANADA WEST QUARTER-FINALS)
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2012
TRINITY WESTERN (2) MANITOBA (0)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WOMEN’S SOCCER ADVANCES TO FINAL FOUR WITH WIN OVER BISONS

LANGLEY, British Columbia – With a pair of first-half goals from Jenna Di Nunzio (North Delta, B.C.), the No. 2 Trinity Western women’s soccer team advanced to the Canada West Final Four with a 2-0 win over unranked Manitoba in the conference quarter-finals Friday at Rogers Field.

Di Nunzio scored in the third and 43rd minutes to help the Spartans advance to the Final Four for the ninth consecutive year as they will now host the conference championship for the second straight season. The Final Four, which will have the Spartans gunning for their second conference title in a row, will be played Nov. 2-3 at Rogers Field. The rest of the teams involved and the game times have yet to be determined.

For the Bisons, the loss ends their season as their return to the playoffs for the first time since 2008 comes to a short conclusion after just one game.

The Spartans were the better side from start to finish as they smothered the underdog Bisons throughout the contest and never allowed Manitoba anything in terms of quality scoring chances as Trinity Western finished the game with an 8-1 advantage in shots on goal.

“Any time you play a game where your season is on the line, it’s pleasing to win,” said Spartans coach Graham Roxburgh. “In some ways it probably kind of hurt us that we scored early because I think it lulled us a bit to sleep. But credit to Manitoba. They defended well and never gave up. While they didn’t get any clear-cut chances, we didn’t really generate anything ourselves. I thought Krista Gommeringer’s (Calgary) intelligence on the second goal and Jenna’s finish was excellent. Nat Boyd (Surrey, B.C.) was probably the thing that kept us ticking in the midfield. “

The Spartans got off to a fast start as Di Nunzio opened the scoring in just the third minute. Alicia Tesan (Vancouver) broke down the right flank and sent a seeking ball to the foot of an unmarked Di Nunzio and the Spartans midfielder buried it past Bisons goalie Chloe Werle (Winnipeg). The goal was initially called offside by the sideline referee but the head referee overruled and awarded the Spartans the goal. The Spartans regular season scoring leader Gommeringer also assisted on the play.

After the goal, the game’s pace slowed as the Bisons clogged up the middle of the park and didn’t allow the Spartans much in terms of quality goal-scoring opportunities. While Manitoba was also unable to generate anything offensively, the Bisons seemed content settling into the contest and simply holding TWU at bay.

However, late in the first half, the Spartans broke through for their second as Di Nunzio found mesh in the 43rd minute. Boyd started the play when she slipped a nifty ball through the legs of a Manitoba defender to a streaking Gommeringer. The Spartans striker then cut in alone on Werle. The Bisons keeper rushed out to challenge, but Gommeringer, with a heads up play, slid the ball to her left to an awaiting Di Nunzio. The Spartans goal-scorer then ripped a shot on target that was blocked by a Bisons defender but the rebound came right back to Di Nunzio and, on her second attempt, she fired it to the back of the net.

In the second half, the Spartans came out with a little more energy and possessed for much of the final 45 minutes. While the Spartans had had the ball for most of the half and, in doing so, kept Manitoba from opening up anything offensively, TWU was unable to notch the next goal.

Although the Spartans managed a few shots on goal in the second half, it was largely one of possession, but little flair. Neither team managed to build much in the way of offence as the Spartans held on for the two-goal win.

The lone shot on goal from Manitoba came from well out  in the 78th minute when Alison Kastner (Winnipeg) put a long range attempt on target that was easily handled by Spartans goalie Kristen Funk (Calgary).

Funk’s one save was enough to earn her the shutout win while Manitoba’s Werle made six saves on eight shots in the loss.

Game Notes: Manitoba’s Rhoni Mackenzie (Winnipeg) was the lone player booked as she was shown a yellow card in first half stoppage time…TWU had a 7-0 advantage in corner kicks…TWU had a 14-5 advantage in total shots.

-TW-

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