VANCOUVER - The UBC Thunderbirds wrapped up their 2009 season by capturing their fifth straight Canada West medal, as they took home the bronze for the second year in a row with a 3-1 win over the Trinity Western Spartans on Saturday at Thunderbird Park.
With the score tied 1-1, the T-Birds picked up what turned out to be the game-winner in the 59th minute via a Trinity Western own-goal.
Joey Loreth swung a high cross into the box from the left wing, and Spartan defender James Farenhorst inadvertently headed it into his own net.Â
The T-Birds tacked on one more in the 68th minute, when another
Joey Loreth cross led to a goal, this time finished by a UBC player. Loreth crossed to the far post and
Greg Smith got up above the Spartan defence and headed the ball home from about six yards out.
"This is always a hard game to play in but at least we can feel a bit better about ourselves having won it," said UBC head coach
Mike Mosher. "I thought some of the guys did a good job bouncing back and we had some okay performances today. It's small a consolation, but it's something."
The T-Birds came into the Canada West tournament as the top seed after finishing first in the regular season at 10-3-1. They were perfect at home with a 7-0-0 record and no goals-against until their semifinal loss to Alberta last night.
"It's tough to think about the positives of a season when the disappointment is still so fresh but there were some," said Mosher. "The program is very healthy right now and the core of this team is first, second and third year guys so we are in good shape moving forward. We have to draw upon experiences like yesterday because in any negative experience there is a learning opportunity so we have to salvage what we can from that and make it our motivation moving forward."
Ashley Ankiewicz got the scoring started in the 15th minute for UBC.
Jorge Angel-Mira played the ball into the box from about 30 yards out and Ankiewicz managed to flick it past Spartans keeper Andrew Kowan.
The Spartans responded quickly however, as Chris Trauter equalized in the 19th minute with a hard low drive just inside the far post from the corner of the 18-yard box.
UBC keeper Elliot Usher earned player of the game honours for his team by holding the Spartans to just one goal, stopping four of the five shots he faced. Kowan made two saves in the loss for Trinity Western.
The Spartans still have nationals to look forward to, as they have a host berth in the upcoming CIS tournament. They will be joined by the winner of tonight's Alberta-Victoria Canada West gold medal game.
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