After an unbeaten pre-season, the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack men's soccer team opens up their 2019 Canada West regular season this weekend. They host the UBC Thunderbirds on Saturday (Aug 31)  and the UVIC Vikes on Sunday (Sept 1).   The matches will be 1 pm kick offs on the Warner Rentals field at Hillside Stadium.
 
DETAILS:
 Both the Vikes and the Thunderbirds won their first two matches last weekend and are tied for first place in the Pacific Division.   UBC  downed Trinity Western 3-2 and shutout Fraser Valley 2-0.  UVIC played both those same squads beating Trinity 3-0 and taking Fraser Valley 2-0.

The WolfPack were 5-0-1 in the exhibition season and are coming off two wins and a tie in California including a 7-0 victory over The College of the Sequoias Giants on Saturday (Aug 24).
UBC is ranked fifth in the initial U SPORTS top 10 rankings. The WolfPack are ranked ninth.
 
RECORDS OF NOTE:

UBC: 2-0 so far this season.  They were ranked first in the Canada West Men's Soccer coaches pre season poll. Mike Mosher is going into his 24^th year as head coach of the T-Birds.   They won the Pacific Division last season with a 13-1-2 record and captured the Canada West silver medal. They led the Canada West in total offense with 43 goals while surrendering a second best 10 goals against.

UVIC: 2-0 so far this season.  Were eighth in the Canada West Men's soccer preseason coaches poll. Vikes were seventh in the Pacific Division last year with a 5-8-3 record.  Head coach Bruce Wilson is into his 32^nd year at the helm of the UVIC program.

TRU: were ranked fourth in the Canada West Men's Soccer preseason coaches poll.  Were fourth in the Pacific Division last year at 6-6-3. They went on a run to make the playoffs and wound up with a Canada West bronze medal. John Antulov enters his sixth season directing the Pack.
 
WHAT HAPPENED LAST YEAR BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES:
Vs UBC:   The WolfPack lost 2-0 on September 2^nd  at UBC.  Jason Roberts got the shutout for UBC.  Then on October 21^st, at Hillside Stadium,the Pack got a goal from Josh Banton in a 1-0 victory over the Thunderbirds. Jackson Gardner made three saves for the shutout.
 
Vs UVIC: The teams tied 3-3 at Hillside Stadium. Ian Whibley had two goals for the Vikes. TRU got markers from James Fraser, Josh Banton and Thomas Lantmeeters.  On October 8^th in Victoria,The WolfPack won 4-1 at Hillside Stadium on September 3^rd. 


PLAYERS TO WATCH:

TRU:  Justin Donaldson (5^th year, midfield, Kamloops, BC): led the WolfPack in goals in the preseason with five.  Was third in the Canada West in shots last year with 53.
James Fraser (4^th year, forward, Penticton, BC): was tied for fourth in assists In Canada West with five.

UBC: Thomas Gardner (2^nd year, midfield, North Vancouver, BC)  was second in scoring last year for UBC with six goals and was chosen both the Canada West and U SPORTS rookie of the year. Three of his goals last year were game winners with five of his total coming off set pieces.
Jason Roberts (5^th year, keeper, Richmond, BC) has played in both matches for UBC giving up two goals

UVIC: Isaac Koch (4^th year, midfield, West Kelowna, BC): leads the Canada West with six shots
Jas Lilly (5^th year, keeper, Surrey, BC) leads the Canada West with two 'clean sheets', leads in saves per game with eight and is tied for the league league in saves with eight.


COMMENTS OF WOLFPACK COACH JOHN ANTULOV: https://twitter.com/GoTRUWolfPack/status/1167089523806953473
COMMENTS OF WolfPack Midfielder Justin Donaldson (5^th year, Kamloops,BC):  https://twitter.com/GoTRUWolfPack/status/1167088264085495810
 
COMMENTS OF WolfPack Midfielder Dylan Hooper (2^nd year, Winnipeg MB): https://twitter.com/GoTRUWolfPack/status/1167090025768505345
 
Both matches can be seen on a pay-per-view basis on Canada West TV.  Highlights and post game interviews can be seen on the WolfPack website (www.gowolfpack.ca) , their Facebook and twitter accounts.