VANCOUVER – The UBC Thunderbirds men's soccer team was held to a clean sheet on Friday against the NCAA Division I powerhouse Washington Huskies, falling 1-0 in non-conference play. Both teams entered the match as the sixth-ranked teams in their respective associations, with the Huskies ranked nationally in the NCAA and UBC in the CIS. 
 
"I thought on the whole we played reasonably well and there are positives to take away from the game despite the loss," said UBC head coach Mike Mosher. "Last week, we got a draw against UVIC, but we were sub standard on that day. We were better today, our back four was better today than last week and we passed and possessed the ball better. The game could have gone either way.

"The goal against was a bit unfortunate as I think the cross that initiated the goal is one that Chad would like to have back and he knows that. Their 'keeper made a top save late against Justin (Wallace) and that is the difference. They defend very well in and around the penalty area, blocking shots and cutting out crosses, that is what good teams do and thus why they have yet to concede in their league play so far."

The Huskies' James Nosack collected the game's difference maker in the 72nd minute, putting a header past UBC goalkeeper Chad Bush (Ottawa) en route to victory at Husky Soccer Field.  
 
With UBC on a bye week in the midst of its Canada West regular season, the T-Birds were up for the challenge against its fellow Pacific Northwest men's soccer powerhouse.

The No. 6 CIS-ranked Thunderbirds came into the night having earned a draw in its opening regular season game. The team now owns a 2-1-3 record overall. 
 
Entering Friday, the Huskies were 3-0-1 to begin the regular season, helping vault Washington up to sixth in the NSCAA Rankings amongst NCAA Division I universities.
 
Remarkably, the Huskies have yet to allow a regular season goal to begin the year, with Ryan Herman collecting three shutouts and Auden Schilder earning the other in his NCAA debut, and that success translated over to tonight. The two split the clean sheet tonight as Herman played the first half while Schilder took over in the second.  
 
The Thunderbirds had the high-ranked Huskies on their heels early, controlling possession and getting a number of quality chances in the first half. Both teams managed just one shot on target in the opening 45 minutes but the visiting Thunderbirds had the advantage in quality scoring chances.
 
Washington had its first scoring chance in the 19th minute when Beau Blanchard wired a free kick from the top of the 18-yard box, but was denied by the diving UBC goalkeeper. Shortly thereafter Huskies' redshirt freshman Scott Menzies sent a header just wide of Bush and the UBC goal, and despite the Huskies spending little time in the offensive zone, mustered a number of scoring opportunities in the opening half.
 
The Huskies' Corban Anderson was assessed a yellow card in the 23rd minute opening up a free kick opportunity for the visiting Thunderbirds. With that, Justin Wallace (Kamloops, B.C.) fired a shot just high over the bar, which was arguably UBC's best chance of the half.
 
In the 38th minute, the UBC backfield denied a sure goal by Washington's Kyle Coffee clearing his attempt on the goal line avoiding going down by a marker entering the first half.
 
At the start of the second half, both teams made a number of substitutions including Schilder going in for 6-foot-7 goalkeeper Herman, while UBC's Chris Serban (Calgary) came on for Lucas Reis (Port Moody, B.C.).
 
Midway through the second half, the Huskies would get on the board thanks to Nosack heading in a loose ball in the box after Washington's Garret Jackson hit the crossbar on the previous play.
 
Wallace had the best chance for the equalizer in the latter stages of the second half, firing a low bullet headed for the corner but was denied by a diving Schilder who stepped in nicely at half and preserved Washington's clean sheet.
 
Despite the late pressure, the Thunderbirds would be forced to settle with a one-goal defeat.

"I think we leave here tonight a better team than before and that is what we wanted, a good test against a strong opponent who asks questions of us," said Mosher. I wish we could get this type of game every week as it would make us all better."
 
Both UBC and Washington managed 13 shots in total, with only four apiece being on goal. The T-Birds had a 5-2 advantage on corners but couldn't convert on any of the crossing attempts. The Huskies were assessed three yellow cards in the game while one was handed out to the visitors.
 
The Thunderbirds will resume their Canada West regular season next weekend when the team plays a pair of away games against Fraser Valley and Trinity Western, on Friday and Saturday, respectively.