Connor Hood - Golden Bears and Pandas Athletics
EDMONTON - The University of Alberta Golden Bears soccer team scored three times in the final 24 minutes to eliminate the UNBC Timberwolves 3-0, Saturday afternoon in their Canada West quarter-final match at Foote Field.
Ajeej Sarkaria, Nikko Cuglietta, and Easton Ongaro scored for Alberta, who advance to their second-straight Canada West Final Four appearance. The Timberwolves, who were playing in their first post-season game in program history, could only hold the Golden Bears in check for 65 minutes, allowing goals in the 66th, 75th, and 90th minute. Tyrone Venhola was superb for UNBC, making eight stops on Saturday, while Connor James stopped all four shots he faced to earn the clean sheet.
The Timberwolves and Bears played an even first half, with neither team generating any great scoring chances. A big reason why was the defensive play of the 'Wolves, which was stellar in the opening half. UNBC held Alberta to just three-first half shots, each of which was easily turned aside by Venhola. That strong defensive play, which often included as many as nine players in their own box, completely nullified the 'Wolves offence however, as they mustered just two shots in the opening 45.
UNBC came out to start the second half with more pace in their game, accumulating more chances in the first ten minutes of the second half than in the entire first half. Their best chance of the game came in the 60th minute, but defender Cam Sjerve was able to clear the ball from their own goal line, with UNBC forward Cheona Edzerza on the door step.
The Bears offence, which ranked first in Canada West this season with 36 goals scored, finally broke through six minutes later, courtesy of Sarkaria, who led Canada West in goals for the second-straight season. Sarkaria took a fantastic pass from Tomasz Chodorski inside the box, before unleashing a quick left-footed strike, which beat Venhola low.
The Bears doubled their lead just ten minutes later, as Cuglietta continued to torch the conference with his eighth goal in 11 total games this season. From almost the same spot as Sarkaria, Cuglietta beat the UNBC keeper with a low-rocket from 14 yards out.
The Timberwolves fired another pair of shots on James in the final minutes, but neither challenged James. Ongaro sealed the Alberta win with his first career playoff goal in the 90th minute.
The Golden Bears quest for their second-straight Canada West and U SPORTS title will carry on next week, as they travel to Vancouver for the conference final four, hosted by the UBC Timberwolves.