The Thompson Rivers University WolfPack have opened up their 2019 Canada West men's soccer season with a draw.
The WolfPack and the number three team in the nation, the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds played to a 1-1 tie on the Warner Rentals field at Hillside Stadium.   The WolfPack are 0-0-1  while the T-Birds are 2-0-1.

 SYNOPSIS
The WolfPack had to rally from a 1-0 deficit as Riley Pang (4^th year,forward, Richmond, BC)  went left corner on Pack keeper Jackson Gardner (2^nd year, Chilliwack, BC).   Thomas Gardner (2^nd year, midfield, North Vancouver, BC) , the Canada West and U SPORTS rookie of the year drew the assist.  That goal came in the 9th minute.

TRU evened things up in the 35^th minute as Dylan Hooper (2^nd year, midfield, Winnipeg, MB)  got the ball on the right side and drove down field. He chipped the ball to the left side of the net where James Fraser (4h year, forward, Penticton, BC) broke free and blasted it into the left side of the net.

The Thunderbirds had a number of chances in the second half.  They had 10 shots on goal. In the 87 th minute, Victory Shumbusho  (3^rd year, forward, Chilliwack, BC) was hauled down by Pack rookie Denzel Marican (1^st year, midfield, Kamloops, BC).  It resulted in a penalty kick which missed the mark.

Both Gardner and UBC keeper Jason Roberts (5^th year, Richmond, BC) made 4 saves.  Roberts had two in the first and  two in the second half.  Gardner made only one save in the first and had three in the second half.

UBC dominated in corner kicks with nine (five in the first half) to TRU's four (all in the first half)  They also had 16 shots on goal (10 in the second half) to TRU's nine.

HIGHLIGHTS
 https://youtu.be/zQKlqjHJ_k0


COMMENTS BY COACH  JOHN ANTULOV:

https://twitter.com/GoTRUWolfPack/status/1167927857160450053

 
COMMENTS BY UBC HEAD COACH MIKE MOSHER:

https://twitter.com/GoTRUWolfPack/status/1167930361302536193

COMMENTS BY TRU DEFENDER JOSH BANTON  (3^RD YEAR, LEIGH-ON-SEA, ENGLAND):
 
 https://twitter.com/GoTRUWolfPack/status/1167930612876902404

 
UP NEXT:
Thompson Rivers will continue its opening weekend home stand as they will entertain the U Vic Vikes on Sunday (Sept 1) on the Warner Rentals Field.  Kick off is 1 pm.  The Vikes were in Kelowna on Saturday (Aug 31) meeting up with the UBCO Heat.
The Thunderbirds will travel down Highway 97 to Kelowna to face off with the Heat on Sunday.
All of the above games can been seen on a pay per view basis on www.CanadaWesttv.