WolfPack stop the Heat 2-0 in Kamloops

Canada West women's university soccer

Chantal Gammie, left, of the Thompson Rivers, battles Kate Cartwright of UBC Okanagan in Canada West women’s soccer Thursday at Hillside Stadium in Kamloops. (TRU Photo)

Chantal Gammie, left, of the Thompson Rivers, battles Kate Cartwright of UBC Okanagan in Canada West women’s soccer Thursday at Hillside Stadium in Kamloops. (TRU Photo)

TRU Media

It was the Thompson Rivers University (TRU) WolfPack duo of Chantal Gammie and Marlie Rittinger that supplied all the points Thursday night as TRU stopped the UBC Okanagan Heat 2-0 in Canada West women’s soccer play at Hillside Stadium in Kamloops.

The winner came just seven minutes in when Heat keeper Iona Lawson made the initial stop but the ball remained loose and Gammie knocked it toward the net. A spectacular save on the line was just missed by UBCO defender Erica Lampert, who got a portion of the ball but not enough to prevent the goal.

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The Heat’s deficit was doubled early in the second half when Gammie cracked one just over the outstretched arm of Lawson, dead centre, just under the crossbar. Lawson, played outstanding in goal, making several quality saves on the night as TRU totalled 16 shots forcing the rookie keeper to turn away seven. Her counterpart, Danielle Robertson, was not as busy, brushing aside just two of the UBCO eight shots for the clean sheet.

The Heat had two outstanding chances to break up the shutout, one in each half. In the first half, a corner, taken by Ally Ferronato, was headed over the bar by Heat 6-foot-1, first-year centre fullback Lauryn Padmoroff.

In the second half, once again on a Ferronato cross, it was Allison Candelario who connected off the cross and cracked a shot forcing Robertson to make the save in the 59th minute. Candelario had just subbed in at centre-back for Padmoroff just five minutes earlier.

At 75 minutes, it was Heat midfielder Linnea Cassidy whose 25-yard, one-touch shot sailed high.

“It wasn’t our best night at the office,” said UBCO head coach Craig Smith. “The first half saw us play conservative and a mistake cost us. The girls tried hard. What can I say? TRU got more shots on goal. It was one of those nights.”

The WolfPack and Heat wind up their ‘home and home’ series3 Saturday afternoon with a 1 p.m. kick-off at Nonis Field in Kelowna.


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