The Trinity Western Spartans men’s soccer team faces a tough task if they hope to make the Canada West post-season.
The Spartans (3-5-2) trail the fourth-place UBC Okanagan Heat by two points with two games to play, and Trinity Western has the unenviable task of closing the regular season against the third-place UFV Cascades (5-4-1) and first-place UBC Thunderbirds (9-1) while the Heat have a home-and-home series with the last-place Thompson Rivers University WolfPack.
The Cascades game will be at home on Friday night (7 p.m.) while the Thunderbirds game is in Vancouver on Sunday.
Trinity Western played twice at home over the weekend, holding the No. 6 UVic Vikes to a scoreless draw on Friday at Rogers Field, before losing 3-0 to the Thunderbirds on Saturday. UBC is ranked No. 1 in the country.
“It’s a game of mistakes and three mental errors caused three goals,” said Spartans coach Pat Rohla.
“I thought we played quite well in the first half and limited their chances.
“I think if we bury a few of our own in the second half, that game’s over.
“Once again, it’s having that fortitude to bury a team when the opportunity presents itself.”
Neither team scored in the first half, but UBC got on the board in the 59th minute on a goal from Alex Orasa. Sean Einarsson added a pair in the 65th and 85th minutes, respectively.
TWU was out-shot 10-3 with Evan Lowther coming up with seven saves.
Lowther also came up big the game before, stopping all eight Victoria shots on goal in the scoreless draw. That included a pair of highlight reel saves in the second half.