It was a championship three years in the making.
The Trinity Western University women’s soccer team won the Keg Cup for the first time since 2012 as the Spartans beat Victoria 2-1 in the final Sunday afternoon.
TWU’s Isabelle Di Trocchio scored three minutes into the game before Leanne Verhoeff scored what would be the game-winner for the Spartans midway through the second half.
The Vikes scored their lone goal of the night just a few minutes before the final whistle.
The win sees the Spartans snap a three-year dry spell in which they had been held short of the top prize in the annual tournament. In 2012, when TWU last won the Keg Cup, the Spartans beat Victoria 1-0 in the final.
“It was a bit nervy after Victoria scored late, but in the end it was very good performance and a good victory to win the Keg Cup,” said Spartans coach Graham Roxburgh. “I thought Di Trocchio had her best game of the spring. Ally Williamson, as always, was very good in goal. And we had some other really good performances. Jenaya Robertson was excellent in the midfield and Leanne was very good as well. Our wide players were excellent as well. All in all, it was a great team effort.”
Di Trocchio opened the scoring early in the first half after she took a pass from Amy Gartke and slotted home a well-struck ball past the Victoria keeper. Gartke intercepted an errant Vikes pass and beat a couple Vikes players before slipping a pass into Di Trocchio.
Verhoeff made it 2-0 for the Spartans with about 20 minutes to play when she found her way to a Di Trocchio corner and headed the ball to the back of the net.
With three minutes to go in the match, the Vikes hit back with their only goal of the afternoon, but the Spartans held off the home side the rest of the way.
The Spartans will now prepare to for three matches against NCAA opponents including a home date against Div. I Washington State on April 9.
TWU will also travel to play Western Washington April 5 and Oregon State April 16.
