KAMLOOPS – In what will be the final game at Hillside Stadium in their university careers, the nine graduating members of the Thompson Rivers WolfPack men's soccer team made sure they went out in style with a 4-0 win over the UBC Okanagan Heat.
 
"It's definitely what we needed - to be able to continue what we did yesterday - and I thought overall our game was even better today," said WolfPack head coach John Antulov. "From start to finish our guys were amazing, it's good to see Lewis and Patty start to put the ball into the back of the net again - that really makes us a different team."
 
Graduating player Ryan Lewis was electric for TRU scoring a hat-trick on the night. Those three goals move his WolfPack career total to 12 which puts the Nelson, BC product fifth in program history.
 
Fellow senior Patrick Izett continued his outstanding run of form by scoring his fourth goal of the season while Mikkel Rosenlund and Michael Ojo registered assists.
 
Tyson Gugushe stood tall in the net for UBCO with five saves as the WolfPack held a 10-0 advantage in shots on goal at the end of the game.
 
Lewis opened the scoring in spectacular fashion thirty minutes into the game. The six-foot tall forward pounced on a UBCO turnover near the half line and after noticing that Gugushe was far from his goal he sent in a lofted chip from 40 yards out that sailed into the back of the net.
 
Izett scored his second goal of the weekend 15 minutes into the second half after he got onto the end of a long ball from Rosenlund and snuck his shot past Gugushe at the near post.
 
Further tallies from Lewis in the 66th and 85th minute put the game well beyond reach as TRU put away the Heat by a tally of 4-0 for the second night in a row.
 
Lewis and Izett were just two members of a 2023 graduating class of nine for the 'Pack. They were joined by: Ethan Furlong, Matthew Hanks, Jost Hausendorf, Dylan Hooper, Denzel Marican, Steffen Masaites and Marques Scott as players that have all left an incredible mark on the program.
 
"When you're able to do it like that and get the fifth years in, it's a great night all around and I'm really happy for them," said Antulov.
 
The win put a cap on a massive weekend for the 'Pack who move to 5-6-1 on the season with the victory. TRU greatly increased their advantage over the 3-7 Heat for the fourth and final playoff spot in the Pacific Division.
 
Both teams are nearing the end of their 2023 regular season schedule. TRU has three games remining while the Heat have five.
 
The WolfPack will hit the road next weekend for games against the UBC Thunderbirds and UVic Vikes before finishing their season in Edmonton for a contest with the MacEwan Griffins.
 
UBCO meanwhile will make the same trip next weekend to play UBC and UVic while also having a pair of home games against the UNBC Timberwolves left on the calendar. The Heat also still need to make up a game against the Alberta Golden Bears that was postponed due to poor air quality.