TWU men's soccer wins CIS Bronze

LANGLEY, B.C. (CIS) - Trinity Western University keeper Andrew Kowan from Richmond, B.C., made a diving penalty kick save and defender Cardin Davis from Salt Spring Island, B.C. hit the penalty kick winner as the Spartans won the second CIS bronze medal in program history with a 2-1 victory (4-2 PK) over Toronto at the CIS men's soccer championship tournament in Langley, B.C., on a rainy Sunday afternoon.

The bronze medal win gives the Spartans four CIS championship medals in the last five years. TWU also won bronze in 2005 and silver in 2008 and 2006.

"There wasn't an issue of motivation when you get to a match like this. For the four months that we have been together over a month of that has been with the boots on practicing so there is no point in getting to a match like this and dropping short. There is no excuse for it and I thought on the day that we were a good team and were unlucky not to have scored three goals today," commented TWU head coach Pat Rohla.

"We said early in the year that we have lots to be thankful for and you to play in a bronze medal match you have to be thankful for that and repay it in kind. So I'm exceedingly proud of the boys and our staff and I'm proud of how we presented ourselves. From first man to last man it was a complete team effort all the way through."

The first half was physically played with each team having opportunities, but neither was able to find the back of the net as they finished the opening 45 minutes tied at 0-0.

Trinity Western's career goal scoring leader Nathan Pogue of Seaside, Ore opened the scoring in the 63rd minute. The Spartans were rewarded after sustained pressure inside the Varsity Blues penalty area. TWU's Jordan Whitehead of Surrey, B.C. took a point blank shot from the left side of the box. Toronto keeper Maximir Luburic of Oakville, Ont made a two handed save, but the ball went to Pogue who was on the right side of the goalie area. Pogue hit the ball hard through a number of Toronto defenders to put TWU up 1-0.

Toronto tied the match in the 80th minute after a strong run up the right side by midfielder Geoffrey Borgmann of Dixie, Ont. Borgmann beat TWU's outside back and sent a cross to the far side of the penalty area where Alexander Raphael of East York, Ont. went high to head the ball past a diving Kowan to tie the match at 1-1.

Both teams battled back and forth for the remainder of the half with no one finding the back of the net.

In the CIS championship bronze medal match the teams go straight to penalty kicks.

The Varsity Blues opened the penalty kicks with Gabe Gala of Brampton, Ont. missing high. TWU's Pogue, Toronto's Geoffrey Borgmann of Dixie, Ont. and TWU's Paul Hamilton of Calgary each made their attempts to give the Spartans a 2-1 lead after four shooters. On Toronto's next attempt by Alexander Raphael, Trinity Western's Kowan, who was an all-star at last year's championship, made a diving save to his right, teammate Shawn Parkes of Delta, B.C. followed with a goal to give TWU a 3-1 lead. Toronto's Nordo Gooden of Toronto hit his shot to keep Toronto alive, but the TWU's Davis found the lower left corner to give the win in front of its home crowd.

TWU's Kowan made one save in victory, while Toronto's Luburic made eight saves in the loss.

SCORING SUMMARY

TWU: 0-1-1:2 (4-2 PK)
TOR 0-1-0:1

First half
No scoring

Second half
1. TWU, Nathan Pogue (2) (Jordan Whitehead), 63rd
2. TOR, Alexander Raphael (2) (Geoffrey Borgmann), 80th

Overtime (no OT - straight to PK)

Penalty kicks
TOR, Gabe Gala, miss
TWU, Nathan Pogue, goal
TOR, Geoffrey Borgmann, goal
TWU, Paul Hamilton goal
TOR, Alexander Raphael, saved
TWU, Shawn Parkes, goal
TOR, Nordo Gooden, goal
TWU, Cardin Davis, goal

Goalkeepers:
TWU: Andrew Kowan (W, 1 GA, 1 saves, 90:00 mins)
TOR: Maximir Luburic (W, 1 GA, 8 saves, 90:00 mins)

Shots: TWU 27, TOR 8
Shots on goal: TWU 9, TOR 2
Corners: TWU 9, TOR 1
Offsides: TWU 2, TOR 2
Fouls: TWU 15, TOR 11
Yellow Cards: TWU (2) (Brayden Volkenant 18th, Liam McAllister 51st), TOR (2) (Federico Vaccaro 27th, Gabe Gala 82nd)
Red Cards: none

Players of the game:
TWU: Nathan Square-Briggs
TOR: Maximir Luduric