UNBC Timberwolf Brett Bobier was nursing mixed emotions on the soccer pitch on the weekend.
The high of scoring the only goal of the game to propel the Timberwolves (1-2-1) to their first win of the 2013 Canada West season Friday against the Winnipeg Wesmen was replaced with disappointment for the nursing student in Sunday's 2-0 loss. UNBC started slow against the Mount Royal Cougars, but ramped up the pressure in the second half when their opponent's received a fortunate bounce off the wet turf at the North Cariboo men's soccer fields to put the Cougars ahead 2-0 with 17 minutes to play. The two-goal deficit was too much for the T-wolves and ended up being the final score.
"It was definitely a heartbreaker," said Bobier, who experienced the other side of the emotional spectrum in Friday's 1-0 win. "It was definitely one of the greatest feelings so far in my soccer career. I was just ecstatic after it. Alan [Zhao] played a great ball in and I got a foot on it. I was just on top of the world at that point."
The 19-year-old graduate of the Prince George Youth Soccer Association Kodiaks program said they just underestimated how hungry the Cougars would be for revenge after the T-wolves earned a 1-0 win in Calgary in the only meeting between the first-year CIS clubs last season.
"We just weren't ready at the whistle," said Bobier. "In the first half we were a bit slow and sloppy and it ended up costing us. We weren't prepared for them coming out as hard as they did. We just didn't match them."
The Cougars (2-2-1) took a 1-0 lead in the 16th minute when Cranbrook's Cody Cook took a pass from Sean Colvin and used some fancy footwork to beat the T-wolves' defender before putting the ball past UNBC keeper Ty Venhola. The T-wolves had a chance to tie the game in the 35th minute but forward Cheona Edzerza put a header off the crossbar.
In the second half, UNBC had their chances but were unable to find a way to tie the game. Then in the 77th minute, T-wolves keeper Mitch Macfarlane - who played the second half - slipped on the wet turf and the ball landed at Colvin's feet. The fourth-year Cougars made no mistake in booting the ball into the open net from outside the 18-yard box.
Bobier didn't have many opportunities for offensive plays Sunday, due to a combination of factors. First off, the Cougars play a system that clogs up the middle of the field, taking the opposition's centre midfielders out of the game. The T-wolves' attack was also thrown off balance early in the game, due to lower-body injuries to rookie Jake Vickers and third-year Zhao - both players returned late in the game, but it was too late for UNBC to mount a comeback.
In order to create more opportunity for Bobier in the second half, T-wolves head coach Alan Alderson moved him from his natural position of centre midfield to the wing.
"It was definitely a bit of an adjustment for me after being used to playing in the centre of the field," said Bobier. "I also have a lot of different responsibilities on defence."
The goal against Winnipeg was Bobier's first of the season. In the T-wolves first four games, Bobier has had 10 scoring chances, second on the team behind Tofa Fakunle's 17. Bobier started playing for the PGYSA Kodiaks when he was 12 where he developed his love for the sport and joined the T-wolves last season. In his second year at UNBC, Bobier said he's a lot more confidence with his decisions on the field.
"Last year, I really had no idea what to expect," said Bobier. "The preseason [this year] helped us a lot I think, playing a lot of the top teams and just playing the ball. I just have a passion for soccer. If I wasn't playing soccer I wouldn't know what to do."
Alderson said the passion Bobier has for the game is apparent in every game and practice.
"One of the good things about Brett is you can never question his heart or his work rate," said Alderson. "Every game he shows up. He will get scoring chances because he's so willing to be up in one six-yard box and can defend in the other. I love that in him, it's one of his best attributes."
