By Mark Janzen, Trinity Western University

LANGLEY, B.C. – Matthew Roxburgh (Langley) scored two second-half goals, including the game-winner, to help the Trinity Western men's soccer team to a 4-2 win over Victoria, while securing the Spartans home field advantage for the Canada West quarter-finals.

Trailing 2-1 midway through the second half, Roxburgh scored twice in just over two minutes, in the 70th and 72nd minutes, to give the Spartans the lead. A Leighton Johnson (Strathmore, Alta) goal in stoppage time sealed the victory for TWU, who finish second in the Pacific Division with an 8-4-4 record.

The loss ends the Vikes season, as the Vikes will miss the playoffs after posting a 6-8-1 regular season record. Victoria needed at least a draw in Saturday's contest to advance to the postseason.

Having tied the game with just under 20 minutes to play, Roxburgh put TWU ahead for good with a long-range shot that slipped through the legs of Vikes keeper Maxwell Branyik-Gil.

Victoria's Michael Baart had put the Vikes ahead in the 63rd minute, when he converted a breakaway, taking advantage of a Spartans defensive miscue before beating TWU goalie Sebastian Colyn (Langley).

The Vikes Tarvir Bhandal opened the scoring in the 21st minute before TWU's Domenic Poletto (Calgary) evened the contest in the 49th minute.

Before Poletto's equaliser, the Spartans hit two crossbars, with Johnson thumping one off the woodwork in the 26th minute and Joel Waterman (Aldergrove, B.C.) hitting the bar in the 43rd minute.

TWU finished with a 24-4 edge in shots and an 8-2 advantage in shots on goal.

QUOATABLE
TWU Head Coach Mike Shearon
On the Match
"I thought we dominated the game in terms of possession, but UVIC fought hard. They were organized defensively and they were hard to break down. We had a few lapses in focus that allowed them in the game twice, but we fought hard to get back in it and get the victory."

On Roxburgh's two-goal performance
"Before the game, he said he was going to get two and he kept to his promise to the boys. He's worked so hard to come back from his injuries and he did a great job tonight."

NOTABLE
• The Spartans will host a playoff game for the second year in row. Prior to last year, when TWU beat Mount Royal at home in the quarter-finals (3-0), the Spartans hadn't hosted a Canada West postseason contest since 2007.
• TWU finished the year with a 5-1-3 record at home.
• This is the second straight year TWU has finished second in the Pacific Division standings.
• Johnson finished the season with a team-leading 12 points, including six goals and six assists.

UP NEXT
The Spartans will host their Canada West quarter-final match Oct. 28 at 7:30 p.m. at Chase Office Field. Their opponent will be the third-place team in the Prairie Division.

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