Picture Perfect !
The UNBC Timberwolves men’s soccer team continued its climb up the Canada West standings on Sunday after recording a hard-fought 1-0 victory over the Calgary Dinos at Masich Place Stadium.
In what was considered a physical, back-and-forth affair, freshman Michael Henman proved to be the hero as his first half goal was the difference taking advantage of a Owen Stewart feed passed outstretched Calgary goalkeeper Jack Ruschkowski.
“We were trying to pull out wide a lot, our wingers me and Pierre (Barrafranca) tried to get the ball as much as we could and I thought I had the advantage on their fullback, I took my advantage came in and took a nice ball from Owen, the goalie got a bit of a touch on it but it still went in for my first goal.”
The team speed of the Timberwolves continued to be on full display throughout the match causing numerous chances off the boots of Henman, Barrafranca, Stewart and Francesco Bartolillo just to a name a few.
Calgary pressed hard in the second half but were denied by the stellar goaltending of UNBC keeper Rob Goodey.
The best chance for the Dinos came late in the second half when Mark Bohdan rung one off the crossbar followed by an airborne corner kick that was headed out by T-Wolves midfielder Cody Gysbers.
UNBC head coach Steve Simonson continues to put a lot of trust in his young players putting out local product Anthony Preston out in the final 15 minutes to defend a one goal lead and also produced two glorious scoring chances but was stopped point blank by Ruschkowki.
Fellow sophomore Abou Cisse started his first game of the season in place of Matt Jubinville who was a last minute scratch because of a back injury he sustained Friday against Lethbridge.
Whatever the situation, the youthful nucleus continues to rise to the occasion.
“We have a lot of quick players on our team and it’s a positive for us, all of these players are so quick and it’s always a positive it can never be a negative being a running team,” added Henman.
The victory improves UNBC’s record to 3-1-2 on the season and vaults them to second place in the conference heading into next three games in a span of four days against the Victoria Vikes (Thursday) followed by a pair versus the top-ranked UBC Thunderbirds (7-0-1) in Vancouver Friday and Sunday.
On Saturday, the UNBC women’s soccer team fell 4-3 to the nation’s second ranked team the Trinity Western Spartans in Langley.
Madison Emmond, Paige Payne and Julia Babicz scored in defeat for UNBC who drop to 1-3-2 on the season.
The Timberwolves are back home next Friday and Sunday against UBC (5-2-0) and Victoria (4-3-0) at Masich Place Stadium.