Spartans secure home field for Canada West Final Four

 

TWU controlled their quarterfinal match-up against upset-minded Manitoba

 
 
 

The Trinity Western University women's soccer team is bound for Canada West's Final Four.

A pair of first half goals from Jenna Di Nunzio lifted the nationally second ranked Spartans to 2-0 win over unranked Manitoba in the conference quarter-finals Friday at Rogers Field on the campus of TWU.

Thanks to the victory, the Spartans will be gunning for their second consecutive conference title at the Final Four tournament, to be played Nov. 2-3 at Rogers Field.

Di Nunzio scored in the third and 43rd minutes to help the Spartans advance to the Final Four for the ninth consecutive year. They will now host the conference championship for the second straight season.

The rest of the Final Four entries have yet to be determined.

For the Bisons, the loss ends their season as their return to the playoffs for the first time since 2008 comes to a short conclusion after just one game.

The Spartans were the better side from start to finish as they smothered the underdog Bisons throughout the contest, and never allowed Manitoba anything in terms of quality scoring chances.

Trinity Western finished the game with an 8-1 advantage in shots on goal.

"Any time you play a game where your season is on the line, it's pleasing to win," Spartans' coach Graham Roxburgh said.

"In some ways it probably kind of hurt us that we scored early because I think it lulled us a bit to sleep. But credit to Manitoba. They defended well and never gave up."

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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