TRU Athletics

KAMLOOPS, B.C. - The Thompson Rivers University WolfPack men's soccer team is into the win column for the first time this young Canada West season.

Playing before over 500 people at Hillside Stadium on Saturday (Sept 2), the WolfPack scored two quick goals and went onto beat the visiting University of Victoria Vikes 3-0.  It was the third straight year that the WolfPack beat Victoria at Hillside. 

SYNOPSIS

TRU  opened the scoring 1:16 into the match as Mitch Popadynetz scored his third goal in as many matches. The fourth year midfielder from Nelson, BC assisted on TRU's second marker which came off a corner kick.   Thomas Lantmeeters (2^nd year, Zulendaal, Belgium) heading it in. Former Vike Justin Donaldson (3^rd year, midfield, Kamloops, BC)  added a marker in the second half.

Lubomir Magdolen (2^nd year, Kamloops, BC) notched his first U Sports shutout.

HIGHLIGHTS:

 CLICK HERE

KEY STATS:

Goal scoring:

1. TRU—1:16-Mitchell Popandynetz (4^th year Nelson, BC)- rebound after James Fraser (2^nd year, Penticton, BC) makes a move down left side and takes shot.  Popadynets makes good on the  rebound.  Popadynetz has three goals on  year. TRU 1  Victoria 0
2. TRU—3:41—Thomas Lantmeeters (2^nd year, Zulandaal, Belgium) capitalizes on a corner kick from Popadynetz from the right corner. Heads it into upper left corner on Victoria's Jasdeep Lally (3^rd year, Surrey, BC).  Lantmeeters first of year and first USports/Canada West.  TRU 2  Victoria 0
3. TRU-79:08—Justin Donaldson (3^rd year, Kamloops, BC) got the ball from Adam Swanson (3^rd year, North Vancouver, BC) and moved 20 yards towards the net and fired it top right hand corner on Victoria keeper Lally.  Donaldson's first goal of the season.  TRU 3  Victoria 0

Shots:    UVIC 2-4:6  TRU: 9-12:21         Corners:   TRU 5-4:9    UVIC:  0-2:2

 Saves:   TRU 0-1:1     UVIC  2-5:7

Keepers:  TRU Lubomir Magdolen (2^nd year, Kamloops, BC)   VIC-Jasdeep Lally (3^rd year, Surrey, BC)

RECORDS:

TRU      1-1-1            UVIC  0-2-1

QUOTES:

TRU head coach John Antulov: 

Says two quick goals were difference: " It was nice to see that especially with Mitch (Popadynetz) scoring another one.  It kind of calmed us down a bit. First home game and the guys were pretty excited. I think that got us going."

On scoring by 'committee this year':  " That is how it has been the last three games. It is nice to see the guys getting opportunities and its spread out. Teams can't focus just in on one or two guys. We have multiple guys who can score and that bodes well for us moving forward."

COACHES INTERVIEW:     CLICK HERE

WolfPack midfielder Thomas Lantmeeters:

Describing first U Sports goal: "It was just an amazing corner from Mitch. All I had to do is jump up and head it in. It was an easy goal."

On home opening jitters: " It is nice to have a big crowd out.  That was the plan to start off quick. Those two goals in the first half really helped us."

Victoria head coach Bruce Wilson:

On giving up two goals early: " Within two minutes we are two down and that is not ideal. It is not the first time we have done that this year.  We started slow and it has hurt us in the end. I thought for most of the game we were very equal. We gave up one late and I think it was because of fatique.  TRU certainly deserved to win."

On who stood out:  " I thought Austin played very well for us. Our keeper and our centre forward played well in the first half.  We were kind of unlucky in the first half. If we would have scored that one goal in the first half it would have been 2-1 and the second half would have been more of a challenge for us."

COACHES  COMMENTS:   CLICK HERE

UP NEXT:

The WolfPack  continue their home stand when they entertain the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds. The teams play tomorrow (Sunday September 3^rd) at 2 pm at Hillside Stadium. Again, the match is sponsored by Chahal Priddle Lawyers in Kamloops.  Antulov says about their next opponent: " Perennial national powerhouses. We have about 15 minutes to take this (the win) in.  We need to refocus in a hurry. That match will be a battle."

The Vikes will head down Highway 97 to meet up with the University of British Columbia Okanagan Heat in Kelowna on Sunday.  "We had five subs or six subs in today, "says Wilson.  " We have no super stars on this team and we can interchange any of our players.  That's what we will do tomorrow."

All of the WolfPack matches—home and away—will be webcast on a pay per view basis on www.Canadawest.TV.

The WolfPack are hosting the 2017 USport Men's Soccer Nationals November 9-12^th. Tickets on sale in September.

OF NOTE:

This match was the final one (barring playoffs and Nationals appearance) in Kamloops for Vikes midfielder Austin Schneebeli (Sicamous, BC) against his former former high school, youth and university teammate in TRU's Colton Walker. Schneebeli played his first two seasons of university soccer at TRU.

The WolfPack wore black arm bands with the name "Sebby" in the match in honor of former player and assistant coach Sebastian Gardner. Gardner succumbed to cancer at the age of 28 this past spring.

The head official of this match was Michelle Pye. Formerly of Kamloops, Pye is one of Canada's highest ranked female officials and has refereed FIFA Women's World Cup matches in the past.  She now lives in the Lower Mainland.

Lantmeeters was named the first TRU Bookstore/McDonalds "Leader of the Pack" player of the match.