The UNBC Timberwolves know they can’t afford to lose if they want to remain in the U Sports Canada West Conference men’s soccer playoff race.
Only the top four teams in each division make the postseason and UNBC went into Friday night’s game in Langley against the Trinity Western University Spartans on the outside looking in.
They didn’t get the win they so desperately need but a hard-fought 1-1 draw with the Spartans was enough to keep the T-wolves in the playoff equation.
Anthony Preston deflected in free kick for his fourth goal of the season to give the T-wolves the lead in the 38th minute. The Spartans kept UNBC goalie Rob Goodey busy and tied it up in the 61st minute, but that’s all Goodey would allow. He made seven saves as his team was outshot 8-4.
The tie gives UNBC (4-5-2, fifth in Pacific Division, 15 points) an important point in the standings with a chance to beat the Spartans (6-4-2, third in Pacific, 19 points) in the rematch tonight in Langley.
“In some ways it was an OK game, we did some good things and definitely created enough chances to win the game and come out with a victory (Friday),” Spartans head coach Mike Shearon told canadawest.org. “At the same time it’s massively disappointing. I think there were some things we could have done better, while they caused us a lot of problems in terms of their possession, and as a result we lost points tonight.
“(On Saturday) we need to take our chances and be a little more patient in their possession, recognizing the spaces that they may try to get into. They’re a well-coached team that’s difficult to play against. There hasn’t been a weekend where they’ve lost both games, so we need to make sure we come out and get a victory tomorrow night.”
The T-wolves have just three regular-season games left, ending at home next weekend with a two-game set at Masich Place Stadium against the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack.
