KAMLOOPS – The Thompson Rivers WolfPack men's soccer team had no trouble finding the back of the net Friday night as they poured in the goals en route to a 4-0 victory over the UBC Okanagan Heat.
 
"I thought it was a solid game, they gave us a really good battle," said WolfPack head coach John Antulov. "We were able to create the opportunities and finish them which we haven't been able to do a lot this year, so it was nice to see them go into the back of the net."
 
On what will be the final home weekend of their U SPORTS careers, a trio of seniors all scored for the 'Pack with Ryan Lewis and Dylan Hooper each registering a goal and Patrick Izett scoring a goal and an assist. Jonathan Rinaldi added the other marker for TRU while Svyatik Artemenko made seven saves for the shutout.
 
Jacob York and Zack MacInnes provided much of the scoring threat for the Heat with three and two shots on goal respectively. Ronan Woodroffe made four saves in a losing effort.
 
The WolfPack set the tone of the net early when only an incredible double save Woodroffe in the first 30 seconds of the game kept TRU from jumping out to an early lead.
 
TRU found their breakthrough off a corner kick just minutes before halftime. Izett whipped in a ball that Woodroffe parried right onto the foot of Lewis who sent the ball into the net for his eighth goal as a member of the 'Pack.
 
A second goal came courtesy of Izett just past the hour mark of the match. Artemenko launched a long ball off a goal kick that Elijah Dos Santos flicked into the path of Izett who lifted the ball past Woodroffe for his third of the season.
 
The Heat refused to go away without a fight however and nearly pulled one back just minutes later.
 
Substitute Jacobo Saenz Ramos received a long ball from Mark Perizzolo and got in behind the WolfPack defence only to see his shot hit the base of the post and roll away from danger.
 
Rinaldi and Hooper provided the insurance markers in the 77th and 83rd minute respectively as the four goals scored by the 'Pack were their most in a Canada West game since a 5-0 victory over the UVic Vikes in 2019.
 
"You hope you can build off it but you can't get too overconfident," said Antulov. "UBCO is a good team and they played well, they just came off two wins so we've got to make sure we continue to do the same things and play as a group."
 
These teams will meet again tomorrow night when the WolfPack (4-6-1) look to increase their lead over the Heat (3-6) for the fourth and final playoff spot in the Pacific Division.
 
Starting at 7 p.m. inside Hillside Stadium, the 'Pack will honour their nine graduating players (Ethan Furlong, Matthew Hanks, Jost Hausendorf, Dylan Hooper, Patrick Izett, Ryan Lewis, Denzel Marican, Steffen Masaites and Marques Scott) prior to the game.