Esi Lufo
1
Winner Victoria VIC (3-1-1, 3-1-0)
0
Thompson Rivers TRU (2-3-0, 2-3-0)
Winner
Victoria VIC
(3-1-1, 3-1-0)
1
Final
0
Thompson Rivers TRU
(2-3-0, 2-3-0)
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Victoria VIC 1 0 1
Thompson Rivers TRU 0 0 0

Game Recap: Women's Soccer | | TRU WolfPack

WolfPack control play in second half but can’t overcome Vikes

QUICK FIRE
  • The Thompson Rivers WolfPack women's soccer team dominated the second frame but just couldn't find the finishing touch in a 1-0 loss to the UVic Vikes Saturday night in Kamloops.
     
DIFFERENCE MAKERS
  • Floor Ursem made seven stops in the TRU net, for a new career-high for the rookie out of the Netherlands. Esi Lufo and Kat Stewart both fired a pair of shots towards goal.
  • Brianne McLeish scored the only goal of the game for the Vikes. Stefanie Mocnik made four stops to collect the shutout.

HOW IT HAPPENED
  • TRU's best chances to score in the opening frame came early in the half. Just 40 seconds into the game rookie Stella Klippenstein cut in from the left wing and let go a curling shot that Mocnik was able to punch away.
  • The WolfPack came close to opening the scoring again just minutes later, but Kat Stewart's long-range rocket drifted just wide.
  • UVic was able to edge their way back into the game as the half went on and stole the opening goal with just seconds left in the half.
  • After earning a free kick on the TRU side of the field, Adrianna Hilton played a ball into the box that bounced off multiple feet before falling right to McLeish and she made no mistake to open the scoring.
  • Ursem came up big to keep the score 1-0 just minutes into the second half. Scarlett McNeely sprinted onto a through ball to set up a cutback pass to Ruby Nicholas and while the UVic forward had plenty of space in the middle of the TRU box her shot towards the left side of goal was stopped by a diving Ursem.
  • After that opening chance for the Vikes, the rest of the half belonged to the 'Pack as they sent attack after attack towards the UVic net.
  • TRU's first clearcut scoring chance of the second half came in the 52nd minute when Lufo played a perfectly weighted ball to an onrushing Mackenzie Lalonde and the rookie did well to get a clear look on goal only for a desperation tackle from a UVic defender blocked her shot.
  • The WolfPack came within inches of equalizing halfway through the second half. Makenna Ford sent a ball into the box that Bella Geremia was able to flick towards Lufo, the Albanian forward controlled the pass, spun and fired a shot towards the far corner but Mocnik was just able to poke it away.
  • TRU kept up that pressure throughout the remainder of the half and pair of corner kicks deep into stoppage time saw the visitors come close to tying the match but the 'Pack just couldn't find the finishing touch.

NOTABLE
  • TRU moves to a record of 2-2 on the season with the loss.
  • Ursem's seven stops were a new career-high.
  • This is the fourth game in a row between the 'Pack and UVic in Kamloops that has been decided by a single goal.
 

QUOTABLE (WolfPack head coach Mark Pennington)
  • "The second half was the response that we wanted. The first half wasn't us, it wasn't the level that we expect and up to the standard that we set for ourselves."
  • "We are disappointed to concede in the way that we did at the end of the first half but the team showed some real character. We didn't test their goalkeeper enough and were missing that final ball to get back into it."
  • "It was another step in the process, we talk all the time about winning together and losing together and today was a day that we found ourselves on the wrong side of the result."
  • "We dust ourselves off and get ready for the next weekend. Every weekend is a big weekend as we know but we are happy with where we are at. The rookies are playing good minutes and it's a learning curve for them. We are learning and growing as a group."

UP NEXT
  • The WolfPack will be back at home once again next weekend as they now prepare to host the UFV Cascades on Friday, Sept. 5 at 5:30 p.m. and the TWU Spartans on Saturday, Sept. 6 at 5:30 p.m.
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