The UBC Okanagan Heat kept its Canada West playoff hopes in tact with a four-point weekend in men’s soccer action against Thompson Rivers.
In the first game of a home-and-home set Friday night at Nonis Field, the Heat and Wolfpack played to a 1-1 draw.
After TRU scored in the 13th minute to take the lead, Enzo Paal connected on a PK in the 42nd minute for his third of the season.
The teams played through a scoreless second half in a game that was marred by plenty of fouls on both sides of the ball—13 by UBCO and 15 by the Wolfpack.
That set the stage for a key matchup between the teams Saturday in Kamloops.
Ryan Jerry provided the Heat with a clutch goal in the 85th minute to push the Heat to a 2-1 win.
Key in the win was the play of UBCO’s Tate Cuthill who made nine saves and leads all keepers in Canada West with 51 stops this season.
“He played very well,” Heat coach Dante Zanatta said of Cuthill’s play
“He rose to the occasion and kept us in it. He kept us in early. TRU had a great chance to tie late in the first half but he made the save.”
With the win, UBC Okanagan moves into the fourth and final playoff spot in the Pacific Division with a (3-4-3) record. The Heat has 12 points on the table but have played 10 of their 12 games and are the only squad to not have had a bye weekend.
The loss places TRU directly behind UBC Okanagan with a record of (1-5-2) and 10 points on the table, yet with two games in hand.
The Heat closes the regular season with two big games this weekend at Nonis Field against Victoria on Saturday and UBC on Sunday. Kick off both days is 3 p.m.
Heat women
UBCO’s playoff hopes in women’s play took a hit as Clarie Paterson’s Heat women managed just a draw in two tries against the TRU Wolfpack.
On Friday at Nonis Field, the UBCO defence proved vulnerable as in a 3-0 loss Thompson Rivers.
On Saturday in Kamloops, the Heat responded with a much better effort in a 1-1 tie against the ‘Pack.
Courtney Hemmerling scored UBCO’s goal in the 19th minute was her first of the season.
The Heat had the victory in its grasp but Danielle Fauteux scored in the 85th for TRU as UBCO settled for the single point.
“I was happy with the way we turned things around after (Friday’s 3-0 TRU win),” said Paterson, the Heat’s head coach. “ We came out with a new game plan. For the most part, the girls were executing it. “
The ‘Pack (3-5-2) are in the sixth and final playoff spot with 11 points, while UBCO (1-5-4) is in seventh with seven.
The Heat will close out their regular season with four straight at home, including this Saturday and Sunday at Nonis Field against MacEwan and Mount Royal.
