KAMLOOPS – For the fourth season in a row the Thompson Rivers WolfPack men's soccer team have earned the chance to play post-season soccer after they clinched a playoff spot with a 1-0 victory over the UNBC Timberwolves.
Holding a record of 4-2-5, the WolfPack's 17 points on the season have secured them a top-four finish in the West division of Canada West soccer. A win tomorrow in their final game of the season and the team will host a playoff game for the first time in program history.
TRU scored the lone goal of the game in the ninth minute of play.
Standout defender
Mikkel Rosenlund intercepted a ball near midfield and then charged all the way onto the edge of the 18-yard box before whipping in a cross. A UNBC defender got his head to it first but
Ryan Lewis was in the right spot at the right time to just poke the ball over the line for the first Canada West goal of his WolfPack career.
"We knew coming in here that it's a really difficult place to play," said WolfPack head coach
John Antulov. "They're a quality team – even though their record may not show it, they are very good – and we knew it would be a battle, and it sure was one. The boys did a great job defending, Jackson made some fantastic saves and that's what you need. It's not always going to be pretty but at the end of the day we got the result."
The Timberwolves didn't make things easy on the 'Pack. With their own playoff hopes on the line the hosts fought back, forcing WolfPack goalkeeper to make five saves, including an incredible diving effort off a UNBC free-kick in the 15th minute of play.
"For sure it was his best game of the year and we definitely needed him, there's no question," said Antulov of the third-year goalie from Chilliwack. "Sometimes you need your key guys to step up in key moments and he was able to do that."
The two teams are set to meet in what will be the final regular season games of their respective 2021 campaigns tomorrow in Prince George. A win for TRU would secure home field advantage in the playoffs. A tie and it will come down to other results around the league. A loss and the team will head out on the road for their playoff game next weekend.
"Even though we got the win we know that we still have a job to do tomorrow," said Antulov. "Two years ago it was an absolute disaster to get to Calgary with missed flights and snow. So for us it's so important to get that home playoff game and to just have the comfort of being at home."
