By Jack Nadelhoffer, Trinity Western University
LANGLEY, B.C. – Thanks to the second half offensive burst from the Spartans, Trinity Western walked away with a 3-1 victory over the visiting University of Fraser Valley Cascades Friday at Chase Office Field. The Spartans Kathryn Harvey (Coquitlam, B.C.) and Seina Kashima (Burnaby, B.C.) each scored in a five-minute span to break a deadlock and secure a key victory.
With the teams tied 1-1 through the first half, Harvey scored the eventual game-winner in the 54th minute, with an assist to Kashima, before Kashima tallied her sixth goal of the year to give TWU insurance.
TWU's Jenaya Robertson (Delta, B.C.) opened the scoring before UFV's Brittney Zacharuk equalized on a penalty kick just before halftime.
The Spartans continued their defensive dominance over the last three games as they have only allowed one goal since Sept. 22.
TWU goal keeper Rachel Sydor (Tsawwassen, BC) finished the game with two saves after seeing only six shots. UFV goalie Joven Sandhu stopped eight of the 11 shots she faced.
During the 12th minute UFV goal keeper Joven Sandhu attempted to beat Gabi Short (Calgary) to the ball far outside of the goalie box, leaving Robertson with a wide open goal, which she converted for her fourth of the year.
UFV broke their scoreless streak against TWU, which had seen the Cascades shutout in four straight games against the Spartans, tying the game at 1-1 of a penalty kick from Brittney Zacharuk.
Even though TWU outshot the Cascades 13-4 in the first half, the teams went into the break tied 1-1.
The fifth-year Kashima helped the Spartans get off to a great start early in the second half, slipping a brilliant through ball to the foot of Harvey who knocked it past Sandhu to the low right corner.
Kashima scored once again, putting the Spartans in firm control of the game in the 59th minute off an assist from Jenaya Robertson.
QUOTABLE
TWU Head Coach Graham Roxburgh
"We played well enough to win. I thought it was a little frustrating to start with poor decision-making in the first half and we probably didn't have the killer instinct we wanted. Jenaya put her chance away really well and probably gave us a false sense of security and then we gave up a penalty.
"UFV played really well in the first half. In the second half we came out and played really well and responded to the challenge.
On Sunday's Rematch at UFV
"It's always tough to play at UFV. It won't be easy, with different circumstances and a different surface, but we have to come out and play well."
NOTABLE
• TWU looks to sweep UFV Sunday for the seventh consecutive year.
• Cascade player Kate Fisher received a yellow card in the 87th minute.
• With their goal, the Cascades scored for the first time in their last five games against TWU.
• Zacharuk was Canada West's first star of the week after scoring three goals and adding two assists in the Cascades wins over UBC Okanagan and Thompson Rivers.
UP NEXT
The Spartans and Cascades play Sunday in Abbotsford, B.C. at 2 p.m. (PT).
-TW-