Amir Ghasemi
SydneyLynnPhotoCo
0
Lethbridge LET (0-3-0, 0-3-0)
1
Winner Thompson Rivers TRU (1-0-0, 1-0-0)
Lethbridge LET
(0-3-0, 0-3-0)
0
Final
1
Thompson Rivers TRU
(1-0-0, 1-0-0)
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Lethbridge LET 0 0 0
Thompson Rivers TRU 0 1 1

Game Recap: Men's Soccer | | TRU WolfPack

Comita’s penalty sends WolfPack to victory

QUICK FIRE
  • A successful Alesandro Comita penalty kick in his return from injury was the difference Saturday night for a Thompson Rivers WolfPack men's soccer team that claimed a 1-0 victory over Lethbridge Pronghorns inside Hillside Stadium.
     
DIFFERENCE MAKERS
  • Comita scored his second goal of the season in the 74th minute of play. Making his second-consecutive start, Toran Rutherford made four saves for his first shutout of the season.

HOW IT HAPPENED
  • There was little offence to be had in the first half, with both teams playing tight defensively. The WolfPack's James Rainbird had a shot stopped by Lethbridge's Brady McLarty in the 12th minute while Rutherford made a comfortable save in the 25th minute in what was his only action of the first half.
  • The game began to break open in the second half, with both teams searching for the all-important go-ahead marker. Rutherford made a smart stop in the 50th minute before the WolfPack turned the tide and began to pile up the pressure. Comita and Amir Ghasemi both had efforts towards net before the WolfPack finally found the opener in the 74th minute of play. Kaelin Nguyen put forth a great effort to move past two defenders in the Pronghorn's 18-yard box before getting pulled down by McLarty. Comita stepped up to the spot and just as he did multiple times in the team's 2022 U SPORTS National Championship run, he powered his shot past a helpless goalkeeper and into the back of the net.
  • The Pronghorns did their best to strike back, compiling eight corner kicks and eight shots the rest of the way but time and time again either Rutherford was there to punch the ball clear or a WolfPack defender was in exactly the right place at the right time.

NOTABLE
  • TRU is now 6-3 on the season with the result and hold sole possession of second place in the Pacific Division of Canada West soccer. Their winning percentage of .667 is ahead of third-place UVic's mark of .593 and only behind the league-leading UBC Thunderbirds at .879.
  • This is the first time TRU has won six of their first nine Canada West games since 2022.
  • This was Comita's first game action since September 11.

QUOTABLE (WolfPack head coach John Antulov)
  • "Grind is the perfect word. It was a tough battle both ways, a real defensive battle for both sides. In the past couple of years we might not have been able to get something out of that, but it's nice to see the guys grind and battle and get a result."
  • "The backline and Toran Rutherford were the standouts late. Toran was really solid today, definitely in the last little bit him coming out and being strong in the box to punch the ball away was huge for the squad."
(WolfPack midfielder Alesandro Comita)
  • ON RETURNING TO THE FIELD AFTER MISSING TIME DUE TO INJURY "It's a great feeling, obviously to be back with the guys and I just love the feeling of being back here with them at Hillside again. It's great to score a goal with the team and so many great fans around, it's an awesome feeling."

UP NEXT
  • This is the WolfPack's lone game of the weekend. They will be back at home again next weekend to take on the UBC Thunderbirds on Friday Oct. 9 and the UNBC Timberwolves on Saturday Oct. 10. Both games get underway at 7:30 p.m.
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