By Larry Read

TRU Sports Information Officer

KAMLOOPS, BC— There is something special when the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack and the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds meet in men's soccer.

Especially when the match is played at Hillside Stadium in Kamloops, BC.   Last year, it was the WolfPack needing penalty kicks to beat the Thunderbirds to claim their first ever USPORTS soccer medal: a bronze.

On this day, with their playoff life on the line, the WolfPack eeked out a 1-0 victory over the Thunderbirds—who came into the match as the number one ranked team in the nation and unbeaten in 13  starts.

Joshua Banton (2^nd year, defender, Leigh-on-sea, England) scored the matches only marker when he converted a free kick from former Thunderbird and Canada West MVP Mitch Popadynetz  in extra time.

Jackson Gardner got the clean sheet. His second of the season.

SYNOPSIS

Banton's goal was his third of the year and second in three matches. Both of them were key goals as the WolfPack enter the Canada West post-season winners of four of their last five matches. They are also unbeaten in six matches

Popadynetz's assist was his ninth of the year. That was good enough for second most in the Canada West during the regular season.

Gardner and teammate Alex Ram (2^nd year, Leicester, England) finished fourth in the Canada Wst in goals against with 11.  Gardner himself was fourth overall in goals against average at 1.22.

HIGHLIGHTS:

Click here

KEY STATS:

Goal scoring:

TRU-45:00—Joshua Banton (2^nd year, defender, Leigh-on-sea, England) headed in ball off a scramble off a free kick by Mitch Popadynetz (5^th year, midfield, Nelson, BC)   Banton's 3^rd goal of season.  TRU 1  UBC  0

Shots:    TRU 13-2:15:   UBC:3-7:10  Corners:   TRU :1-2:3 UBC: 0-7:7   Saves:  TRU 0-1:1  UBC:3-0:3 Fouls: UBC:8-3:11    TRU:9-8:17

Keepers:  TRU: Jackson Gardner (1^st year, Chilliwack, BC)   5-3-1

                  UBC:Chris Hansen-Barkun (1^st year, Montreal, QC)  1-1

RECORDS:

TRU: 6-6-3 (4^th in Pacific)      UBC:   13-1-2  (1^st in Pacific)

THEY SAID IT! (game quotes):

TRU head coach John Antulov: 

On beating UBC again at Hillside Stadium in a clutch game: " All I can say is amazing. The guys put in such a solid effort today. It was absolutely fantastic. It came down to the point about not concentrating on the opponent. The focus was on trying to win the game."

Coaches video comments:  click here

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

On self confidence of the team:  " We have had this confidence since the start of the year. Things weren't going our way but John told us to believe in ourselves. We did and things finally started clicking for us and we went from there."

 Banton's post match comments;   click here

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

On beating UBC: " We always get up for UBC. They are the number one ranked team in the country. We look forward to it. We did it. We are pretty fired up. It feels good to beat them.  It's a story book ending to our season as we won four of their last five."

Popadynetz's post match comments: click here

UBC Coach Mike Mosher:

On match: "it was a playoff game for them. But for some of our players today: those who don't play a lot. It was an opportunity knowing that the stakes that were in place for them. How would our guys react? That is what I wanted to see and some of them did not show up.  If you give a team five free kicks in the first half, they have good delivery. They've got the players who go and get it—you get punished eventually. And we were."

Coaches video comments: click here

UP NEXT:

The WolfPack honored their graduating players; Mitchell Popadynetz (Nelson, BC), Finlay McPhie (Vernon, BC), Thomas Lantmeeters (Genk, Belgium) and Jason Staiger (Agassiz, BC) at the match. All four were the TRU Bookstore/McDonalds "Leader of the Pack" players of the match.  

Justin Donaldson (4^th year, midfield, Kamloops, BC) was third overall in Canada West stats for shots : 53 while teammate James Fraser (3^rd year, forward, Penticton, BC) was tied for fourth in assists with five.

The WolfPack will travel to Edmonton, Alberta to meet up with the Alberta Golden Bears in the Canada West Play in match.  The Bears beat the WolfPack when they met in the regular season 1-0 on September 21^st at Hillside Stadium.

The Pack beat Alberta in the Canada West playoffs last year to claim the bronze medal.