Jeremy Laurie/UBC Thunderbirds
VANCOUVER – A mid-game scoring burst and solid defence propelled the UBC Thunderbirds men's soccer team (4-0-1) to their third consecutive victory on Friday night at Thunderbird Stadium. The 3-0 loss handed the visiting Trinity Western Spartans (4-1-0) their first loss of the 2016 season.
The win helps UBC claim the top spot in the Canada West's Pacific Division, with TWU trailing by a single point. UBC headed into Friday's match fresh off back-to-back wins over UNBC (0-4-0), while the Spartans were looking for their fourth straight shutout.
A scoreless first half and solid defence from both sides indicated that neither team wanted those records to be tarnished.
UBC head coach Mike Mosher was pleased with the way his team found their feet in the second half.
"We were a little bit lethargic…in the first half and [then] challenged them at halftime to play at a faster tempo, which we are capable of doing," noted Mosher.
The T-Birds kept the pressure on during the scoreless first half, out-shooting TWU 8-2 and preventing the Spartans from landing any shots on goal. Spartans goaltender Andrew Hicks made a crucial save in the 17th minute off a quick release from UBC's Zach Verhoven, keeping things knotted at zero apiece.
UBC's Kerman Pannu nabbed the game's elusive first goal in the 48th minute. With a crowd gathered in front of the net, Pannu blasted the ball overtop of a lunging Hicks. Fourth-year veteran Lucas Reis logged an assist on the play.
Pannu's goal shifted momentum in favour of UBC. As Trinity Western struggled to get the ball out of their half late in the 55th minute, Reis took advantage of a loose ball and sniped it into the corner of the net, giving UBC a 2-0 lead. Just over two minutes later, Manraj Bains headed in an insurance goal off Pannu's corner kick.
UBC will look to maintain their top spot when they host the Fraser Valley Cascades on Saturday, September 10. The match commences at 7 p.m. (PT) at Thunderbird Stadium. Trinity Western will have to travel to Victoria to face the Vikes at 6:15 p.m. Saturday at Centennial Stadium.
IMAGE CREDIT: Wilson Wong/UBC Thunderbirds