By Larry Read

TRU Sports Information Officer

KAMLOOPS, BC— The 'soccer gods' have not been too kind to the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack this Canada West men's season.   The WolfPack have dropped a couple of decisions in extra time and as a result, they are struggling to make the post season.

On Wednesday (Oct 17),  extra time worked in the 'Pack's favor. Joshua Banton scored in the 91^st minute to give Thompson Rivers a 2-1 win over the visiting Trinity Western University Spartans.

Mitch Popadynetz had the other goal for the WolfPack.  Aidan Moore replied for the Spartans.

This was a rescheduled game from August 26^th.  That match was postponed due to smoky conditions.

SYNOPSIS

TRU and Trinity  were scoreless after the first half as both keepers:  Jackson Gardner of Thompson Rivers and Sebastian Colyn of the Spartans were forced to make some key saves.

Trinity opened the scoring on a goal from Aidan Moore.  But the WolfPack responded as Canada West player of the Year Mitchell Popadynetz scored his first of the season. 

The winning goal was scored when Joshua Banton moved up from his defender position and knocked the ball off a scramble to the top centre of the Spartans net.

HIGHLIGHTS:

click here

KEY STATS:

Goal scoring:

1. Trinity—54:33-Aidan Moore (4^th year, midfield, Langley, BC)-from Pedro Paz Duarte (2^nd year, forward, Brasalia). Moore's first goal of the season.   Trinity Western 1  TRU 0
2. Thompson Rivers—65:28-Mitchell Popadynetz (5^th year, midfield, Nelson, BC)  from Koffi Nyafor (4^th year, midfield, Coquitlam, BC). Popadynetz's first goal of the year.  TRU 1  Trinity Western 1
3. Thompson Rivers—91:00-Joshua Banton (2^nd year, defender, Leigh-on-sea,England) from James Fraser (3^rd year, forward, Penticton, BC).  Banton's second goal of the year  TRU 2  Trinity Western 1

Shots:    TRU 6-6:12  Trinity Western 6-3:9   Corners:   TRU 2-1:3   Trinity Western 3-0:3

 Fouls:   TRU  8-6:14   Trinity Western  6-9:15    Shots on Goal:  TRU 3-5:8      Trinity Western  2-1:3

Keepers:  TRU: Jackson Gardner (1^st year, Chilliwack, BC) 3-3-1

                  Trinity Western: Sebastian Colyn (2nd year, Langley, BC)   8-3-4

RECORDS:

TRU:4-6-3          Trinity Western: 8-3-4

QUOTES:

TRU head coach John Antulov: 

On the game: "It was one of those games where finally we got a couple of things going our way at the end of the game.  It came down to the guys battle, effort, work rate, mindset and they did the right things to gut it out.  I thought in previous games we were playing really well but not getting the breaks.  It was nice to see things going our way. The guys haven't changed all year. They have been fighting. Today though, things went out way."

COACHES VIDEO COMMENTS: click here

TRU defender Josh Banton (2^nd year,  Leigh-on-sea, ENGLAND): 

On winning goal: "John told me to pinch up in the last five minutes to give James a little help and be a bit of a distraction. I knew that if the ball was going to go up, I would get there. JD (Justin Donaldson) played a good cross.  James worked hard to get the rebound. The ball came out to me and I didn't even think about it, I kicked it as hard as I could. Luckily, it went in."

VIDEO OF BANTON'S POST MATCH INTERVIEW: click here

Trinity Western head coach Mike Shearon:

On match:"It was an exciting game. I was proud of my young guys today. They went out and a lot of them were playing different roles. It was good to see they were ready to take on a battle. That's what we got today. The game could have gone either way."

COACHES VIDEO COMMENTS:   click here

UP NEXT:

This was the Spartans last match of the Canada West regular season. The WolfPack will close out their season next weekend (Oct 20-21) when they host the University of Victoria Vikes and the UBC Thunderbirds.

That Sunday match will see the 'Pack honor their graduating players:  Mitchell Popadynetz (Nelson, BC), Thomas Lantmeeters (Gent, Belgium), Finlay McPhie (Vernon, BC)  and Jason Staiger (Agassiz, BC).

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

OF NOTE:

Jan Pirrates Glasmacher (2^nd year, defender, Barcelona, Spain) was the TRU Bookstore/McDonalds "Leader of the Pack" player of the match.  The WolfPack played without Emmanuel Anigobe. He was sitting out a mandatory one game suspension for accumulating a number of yellow cards.