Popandynetz puts on show leads WolfPack to big win over Vikes

For Immediate Release:  Saturday, October 20, 2018

KAMLOOPS, BC— Mitchell Popadynetz is making sure that his final Canada West regular season weekend is one to remember.

The Canada West player of the year had a goal and three assists to power his Thompson Rivers University WolfPack men's soccer team to a 4-1 victory over the University of Victoria Vikes.  The victory keeps the WolfPack's playoff hopes alive.

The loss officially eliminated the Vikes from playoff contention. 

TRU's playoff fate will be decided on  whether the University of Fraser Valley Cascades beat the UNBC Timberwolves in a match Saturday night. A Fraser Valley victory would leave the Pack tied with UNBC with five victories.   TRU closes out its regular season Sunday against the number one ranked team in the nation---the Pacific Division champion UBC Thunderbirds.

Jan Pirrates Glasmacher, Koffi Nyavor and Thomas Lantmeeters had the other TRU goals. Mackenzie Rigg replied for the Vikes.

Popadynetz was named the TRU Bookstore/Mcdonalds "Leader of the Pack" player of the match.

SYNOPSIS

After both teams spent the first 10 minutes feeling each other out, the WolfPack took the lead on a set piece. Off a corner kick, Thomas Lantmeeters headed in an offering off the foot of Canada West player of the year Mitchell Popadynetz. It was Popadynetz's  sixth assist of the season.

The Vikes tied it up about 10 minutes after that.  Mackenzie Rigg capitalizing on a pass from Matteo Ventura. Ventura's 12^th point of the campaign.

The second half belonged to the WolfPack and Popadynetz.  In the 54^th minute mark, he set up Jan Pirretas Glasmacher off a corner.  10 minutes later, he dished it off to Koffi Nyavor and finished the scoring off a minute later (65) with a goal of his own.

HIGHLIGHTS:

click here

KEY STATS:

Goal scoring:

1. TRU-15:00-Thomas Lantmeeters (3^rd year, midfield, Genk, Belgium) headed the ball in off a corner kick taken by Mitch Popadynetz (5^th year, midfield, Nelson, BC). Lantmeeters 5 th goal of the year.  TRU 1  VIC 0
2. VIC-25:17—Mackenzie Rigg (5^th year, defender, Kelowna, BC) took the pass from Matteo Ventura (1^st year, forward, Prince Rupert, BC) to beat TRU keeper Jackson Gardner high left side. Rigg's first of the campaign.  TRU 1  VIC 1
3. TRU-54:56—Jan Pirrates Glasmacher (2^nd year, defender, Barcelona, Spain) headed the ball in off a corner kick by Popadynetz.  Glasmacher's third goal of the season.  TRU 2  VIC 1
4. TRU-64:54-Koffi Nyavor (4^th year,midfield, Coquitlam, BC)  takes the Mitch Popadynetz offering and blasts a laser to the mid right corner of the net.  Nyavor's third goal of the campaign. TRU 3 VIC1
5. TRU-65:56—Mitch Popadynetz will take the lead pass from Glasmacher and move from left to center where he blasts it into the net.  His second goal of the campaign.  TRU 4  VIC 1
6. Shots:    TRU 15-18:23  UVIC:3-1:4  Corners:   TRU 4-5:9  UVIC: 0-1:1     Saves:  TRU 1-0:1   UVIC:  -1-0:1  Fouls: UVIC   4  TRU: 4   Offsides:  UVIC: 3-4:7    TRU: 2-9:11

Keepers:  TRU: Jackson Gardner (1^st year, Chilliwack, BC)  (4-3-1)

                  UVIC: Harjot Nijjar (1^st year, Surrey, BC)  (2-2)

RECORDS:

TRU   5-6-3    UVIC: 4-8-3

THEY SAID IT! (game quotes):

TRU head coach John Antulov: 

On the game: " I thought we were a little timid in the first 15-20. Once we scored that goal we started to get more comfortable. In the second half our leaders started to lead. Guys like Mitch and Finlay and Josh Banton and Thomas Lantmeeters. That made the difference at the end."

Coaches video comments: click here

TRU midfielder Mitchell Popadynetz (5^th year, Nelson, BC):

On match: " I think the team is coming together. We really played well Wednesday (a 2-1 win at home over Trinity Western).  It will be fun game tomorrow against UBC."

On corner kicks:  "We do practice. I try to put it into a dangerous area. We have some big guys-Jan, Thomas, Fin, JJ…."

On playing UBC Sunday: "It is a huge game. It is always fun to play UBC. Hopefully we win it so it won't be my last Canada West game. I have enjoyed my time here."

Popadynetz Post Match Interview:  click here

UVIC coach Bruce Wilson (31^st year):

On match: "We knew Kamloops was looking for a playoff spot and knew they would put out their strongest team. They played well. I thought we did OK up until half time. We were equal then. We let a couple of mistakes with corner kicks happen. Full credit to them. It will be interesting to see how they do the rest of the way."

Which players on his roster did he like? "I liked all of them. The fact they are at UVIC is great. It's a bit of a problem to get people over to the Island. Just like probably it is hard getting people to come to Kamloops. We are a destination university. It is difficult for Vancouver kids to come over if they don't have money. Overall, no problem for me. We are looking towards next year. The second half of this season has been successful and hopefully we get some of our injured players back for next season."

Coaches video comments: click here

UP NEXT:

The WolfPack will close out their regular season tomorrow (Sunday) as they entertain the first place team in the Canada West Pacific Division—the UBC Thunderbirds.  Thompson Rivers will honor their graduating players; Mitchell Popadynetz (Nelson, BC), Finlay McPhie (Vernon, BC), Thomas Lantmeeters (Genk, Belgium) and Jason Staiger (Agassiz, BC) at the match.

UVIC will head to Kelowna, BC to end their season at Nonis Field against the UBCO Heat.

Those matches will be webcast  live on a pay per view basis on www.Canadawest.TV.