KAMLOOPS - The TRU WolfPack men's soccer team kicked off its 2016 Canada West season at home at Hillside Stadium on Saturday (Aug 27) by taking losing to the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds 2-1.  The Thunderbirds are the defending Canada West champs and bronze medal winners at the CIS Nationals.

VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS: 

https://youtu.be/7MblWjl2iyk

KEY STATS:

Goal scoring:

TRU  (12:26)   Justin Donaldson (2^nd year mid, Kamloops, BC) from Mitch Popadynetz (3^rd year, forward, Nelson, BC)  off a header from a corner kick.  TRU led 1-0 after the first half

UBC  (55:30)  Titouan Chopin (2^nd year, forward, Kaslo, BC)  took long shot which bounced off cross bar and hit TRU keeper Clay Harsany (2^nd year, High River, AB) in the back and wound up in the net.   Game time at 1.

UBC (73:30) Manpal Brar (1^st year, forward, Surrey, BC) took a pass from Canada West first team all-star Bryan Fong (4^5th year, defender, Vancouver, BC) and went far post on Harsany.     UBC 2  TRU 1

Corner Kicks:  UBC   9  TRU 1

Saves:    UBC: Chad Bush (2^nd year, Ottawa, ON) 1 save  2 shots on goals    

                TRU:  Clay Harsany (2^nd year, High River, AB)   4 saves,  6 shots on goal

Shots by Period:  UBC  16 (eight each half)       TRU  5 (3 first half, 2 second half).

Saves by Period:  UBC  1 (in the first half)         TRU 4  (2 in each half)

RECORDS:

UBC  1-0           TRU 0-1

QUOTES:

TRU head coach John Antulov:  

On game: "The first half was solid. We kept our shape defensively and didn't give them a lot of opportunities.  We knew they would come out 'guns a blazin' in the second half. It was up to us to keep what we were doing. The boys got a bit rattled in the beginning.  They got a bit of a lucky one on their first goal. I thought Yuya (Nakano, 1^st year, Aichi, Japan) , Mitch (Popadaynetz) and Colton (4^th year, middle, Sicamous, BC) and our entire back line played well.  They held pretty strong. A bit of a mishap on their second goal but overall I thought it was a pretty solid effort."

UBC Head coach Mike Mosher:

On second half comeback:   "The boys really stepped it up.  Putting Manpal Brar and Zach Verhoeven (1^st year, Surrey, BC) in helped change things around. That and the other guys on the field really switched it up. What we saw in the first half is not acceptable. What we saw in the second half is what we expect. Those guys—true freshmen really changed the game. Manpal is a beast.  He is a big body that is tough to deal with. Zach is as tricky as tricky as they come. And with  Titouan (Chopin, 2^nd year, forward, Kaslo, BC) going on the other side-it really changed the game."

UP NEXT:

TRU Hosts University of Victoria Vikes on Sunday, August 28, 2016    1 pm at Hillside Stadium.

Antulov on Victoria: " We just have to put this one behind us. It will be another tough battle tomorrow but I think we have a good solid squad. Ryan Glanville (4^th year, forward, Williams Lake, BC) will be here tomorrow which will give us a solid jump into our team.  We played 16 guys today and everyone who came in did well."

UBC visits University of British Columbia Okanagan Heat on Sunday Aug 28, 2016 

OF NOTE:   Justin Donaldson of TRU was named the McDonalds/TRU Bookstore "Leader of the Pack" player of the match.   TRU was without Canada West 2^nd team all-star and CIS Academic All Canadian Ryan Glanville (4^th year, forward, Williams Lake, BC)  who was attending a wedding.