Larry Read, TRU Sports Information

KAMLOOPS, BC:  The Thompson Rivers University WolfPack are back into the win column in Canada West men's soccer.

The WolfPack saw their five game winless streak come to an end as they dominated the Mount Royal Cougars and beat them 4-0 at Hillside Stadium on Saturday (Sept22).

TRU's  offense mainly came off the foot of James Fraser (3^rd year, forward, Penticton, BC).   He scored once in the first half and added two more in the second half. The hat trick goal came on a penalty kick. Jackson Gardner (1^st  year, Chilliwack, BC) earned his first Canada West shutout in his third straight start.

The other WolfPack goal was scored by Jason Staiger (5^th year, forward, Agassiz, BC).

 SYNOPSIS

Both teams came out fired up forcing referee Todd Wiseman (the former Hamilton Tiger Cat) to call three fouls in the first two minutes. Each team wound up in double digits in fouls with both picking up a pair of yellow cards.

The WolfPack had a number of great scoring chances in the opening half. Many of them came from veterans Fraser, Koffi Nyavor (3^rd year, midfield, Coquitlam, BC), Justin Donaldson (4^th year, midfield, Kamloops, BC)  and Jan Pirretes Glasmacher (2^nd year, midfield, Barcelona, Spain). 

Fraser finally beat Cougars keeper Kyron Valley in the 20^th minute. TRU led 1-0 after the first half

It was much of the same in the second half.   Mount Royal's best chance came in the 52^nd minute as Moe El Gandour (1^st year, forward, Calgary, AB) had a free kick from nearly 40 yards out which Gardner stretched to save.

In the 57 th minute, TRU almost went up by two as Donaldson broke down the left side and crossed the ball to the far side of the box where Fraser went into the air to try and drive it home. Valley was right there to gobble it up.

Two minutes later, Fraser scored a beautiful goal on an 'across the body' left volley which found the lower right side of the net.

Fraser notched his hat trick goal in the 79^th minute. He took a penaty kick and went dead center over the sprawling Mount Royal keeper Valley.

Valley and Fraser met again in the 80 th minute as the two collided going for the ball.  Valley was taken out of the match after an apparent knee to the head. He was replaced by Sterling Kerr (1^st year, Calgary, AB).

Mount Royal was held without a shot on goal until the 88^th minute when El Gandour broke and and was stoned by Gardner from about 20 yards out.

In the 89^th minute, TRU added another goal. Donaldson with a brilliant run on the right side and crossed it to the far side where Staiger had a wide open net to make it 4-0.

For the second straight match, the WolfPack had Canada West Player of the Year Mitchell Popadynetz (5^th year, midfield, Nelson, BC) scratched.  The other regular who sat out a second straight match was defender Harry Coles (2^nd year, Preese, England).

VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS:

click here

KEY STATS:

Goal scoring:

1. TRU—20:00—James Fraser  scores his second goal of the year as he puts in his own rebound after getting a pass from Koffi Nyavor. Nyavor got the ball from 30 yards out and streaked down the right side to enter the ball.   TRU 1   MOUNT ROYAL 0
2. TRU-59:45---James Fraser took a pass from Jan Pirrates Glasmacher and used a left foot 'across the body' volley to score his second of the match and third of the season into the lower right side of the net.   TRU 2  MOUNT ROYAL 0
3. TRU—76:59—James Fraser notches his hat trick goal on a penalty kick. He went dead center over a diving Cougar keeper Valley. His fourth goal of the campaign.  TRU 3  MOUNT ROYAL 0
4. TRU—89:22—Jason Staiger capitalized on a cross from Justin Donaldson and put it in a wide open net. Staiger's first goal of the year.  TRU 4  MOUNT ROYAL 0

Shots:    Mount Royal: 0-1:1   TRU:  10-11:21    Corners:   TRU: 8-2:10  Mount Royal: 0-2:2

 Saves:   TRU 0-7:7   Mount Royal:  2-5:7        Shots on Goal:  TRU 3-7:10      Mount Royal: 0-1:1

Fouls:      TRU 7-7:14   Mount Royal: 6-5:11     Yellow Cards:  TRU 1-1:2    Mount Royal: 1-1:2

Keepers:  TRU:   Jackson Gardner (1^st year, Chilliwack, BC)

                  Mount Royal: Kyran Valley (3^rd year, Calgary, AB)

                                            Sterling Kerr (1^st year, Calgary, AB)

RECORDS:

TRU   2-4-2   Mount Royal: 3-5

QUOTES:

TRU head coach John Antulov:

On having the 'soccer gods' with them :"More of a relief. We have not had much luck scoring goals. We have been playing solid, very well defensively but we have not had the bounces going our way until today. We kept saying to the guys to keep what they were doing and eventually the bounces would go our way."

Felt is was a total team effort at both ends of the field: "I thought defensively, offensively. We were on the front foot from the get go. That is what we talked about. Just going right at them the entire time. That is what we tried to do and thank God we were fairly successful. We have been solid all year defensively (aside from about 20 minutes in Victoria). As a group, especially our back line and our goaltending has been solid. We have to continue to do that."

Coaches Video Post Game Interview: click here

TRU forward James Fraser (3^rd year, Penticton, BC):

On hat trick: "The goals were just landing on my foot. I was lucky to get three. Its good for the team to get four. I am more pumped about the win. I liked the second goal. The first one—I know my coach would have lost his head. I am so glad it popped back out to me."

Says it was a total team effort: " It was a 100 per cent team effort. We knew coming in to this match that it was an 'all or nothing' situation.  We just kept going at them, wave after wave after wave. So pumped about how the team played today."

Fraser's Video Post Game Interview:  click here

TRU keeper Jackson Gardner (1^st year, Chilliwack, BC):

On first Canada West victory and shutout: "It is hard to stay focused when I didn't have too many shots in the first half. The second half was more difficult. I am glad it all paid off.  There was a tough save late. I had to stay on my toes. It's always great to help the team with a big save at the end. I just want to keep it going."

Mount Royal head coach Ryan Gyaki (4^th season):

On match: "We knew that TRU would come out and be strong, aggressive and full of energy. They always are. We weren't sure how they had only one once before now so we knew they would have even more urgency. We knew we had to try and match it. Sadly we did not. We didn't manage the game very well. We have a young squad.  We have to learn to play against a big, strong team like this. They have a number of players who were outstanding today."

On not finding an answer at either end of the park: "We didn't have a solution on going forward. It wasn't from a lack of trying. They were just one step ahead of us on second balls . If we tried to go long they read it. If we were trying to go short, they were too aggressive and quick. Great performance by them. Not one of our best."

Coaches Video Post Game Interview:   click here

UP NEXT:

The WolfPack  hit the road to the Fraser Valley next weekend as they make stop overs in Langley, BC on Friday (Sept 28) to play the Trinity Western University Spartans.  They then move up the valley to take on the University of Fraser Valley Cascades on Saturday (Sept 29) in Abbotsford, BC.  

The Cascades beat the WolfPack 1-0 in TRU's first match of the season on August 31^st.

Mount Royal returns to Calgary to meet their cross-town rivals the Dinos in a home and home series next weekend (Sept 27-28)

Next home match for Thompson Rivers is Saturday October 6^th at 1 pm when they kick off a two match home stand against the University of Northern British Columbia Timberwolves.

All of the above matches will be shown on a pay-per-view-basis on Canada West TV.

OF NOTE:   The "TRU Bookstore/McDonalds Leader of the Pack Player of the Match" was Fraser.