After opening the season with a 2-1 victory over the UFV (Fraser Valley) Cascades, the Trinity Western Spartans fell flat in game two, losing 4-0 to the host Victoria Vikes.
“It was a disappointing loss; we were a step late today and didn’t really wake up throughout the entire match,” said Spartans men’s soccer coach Pat Rohla.
The Spartans were on the road for both games to open the Canada West season.
On Friday, in Chilliwack, Dominic Reinold opened the scoring in the 18th minute and Carlos Del Aguila doubled the lead in the 33rd minute.
The Cascades’ Jordan Tipton cut the lead in half in the 64th minute, converting a penalty kick off a hand ball call.
It was the only shot which eluded Spartans keeper Evan Lowther, who finished with a pair of saves.
“We gave them hope by not winning second balls,” Rohla said.
“We know UFV will work hard, and they did, and they put us under pressure in the second half.
“We have to have the resolve to finish our chances when we get them.”
But overall, the coach was happy with the first game, noting some solid performances.
Against Victoria on Sunday, the Vikes’ Cam Hundal scored in the 33rd minute. Kurt Macauley made it 2-0 in the 70th minute and the Vikes blew the game open with goals from Hundal — on a penalty kick — and Cameron Stokes in penalty time.
The Spartans were under siege much of the game as Victoria fired 20 shots at the TWU net, including a dozen that were on target.
Lowther made eight saves.
Trinity Western faces a tough home-and-home series with the UBC Thunderbirds.
The teams play in Vancouver on Friday and then back at Rogers Field on the TWU campus on Saturday. Both games are at 7 p.m.
