Shorthanded Heat fall 2-1 to Calgary
The UBC Okanagan Heat men's soccer team, playing without five of the regular starters, put up a valiant effort at Nonis Sports Field on Sunday afternoon but fell just short, dropping a 2-1 decision to the Calgary Dinos.
Although there were a number of new faces in the starting 11, two of new players combined early on to give the Heat an early lead.
Rory Clements of New Westminster, B.C., making just his fourth career start, took a lovely pass in the box from Andrew Matsugu of New Westminster, B.C., who was making just his second career start, and made no mistake just 93 seconds into the game to give the hosts a quick 1-0 lead.
For Clements, the goal was the first of his Heat career while Matsugu earned his first career point.
After the quick start, the two teams settled in before the visitors started tilting the field in their favour. However, the Heat defensive backline, anchored by player of the game Tavin Williams of Victoria, B.C., and fellow centre back partner Matteo Clarke of Calgary, managed to hold the Dinos off the scoreboard.
However, in stoppage time of the opening half, the Dinos finally found their breakthrough as Gianmarco Plenzik of Calgary played a perfect ball across the box to Owen Antoniuk of Calgary who made no mistake for his fourth of the season to even the score after 45 minutes.
Antoniuk and the Dinos took the momentum from the goal into the second half and pounced quickly again as Antoniuk found Kimia Kassanda of Aalst, Belgium just four minutes into the half to take a 2-1 lead.
The two teams wouldn't generate much offensively after the goal with the Heat's best chance to even the game coming on a strong solo run from fullback Mark Perizzolo of Burnaby, B.C., but the Heat couldn't get a shot away and the Dinos would hold on from there to take the win.
TOP PERFORMERS
D Tavin Williams - UBCO
The rookie defender was strong all over the pitch for the Heat, playing solid defence before shifting to the midfield in the second half as the Heat looked for a spark.
MF Owen Antoniuk - Calgary
The third-year diminutive midfielder was a force for the Dinos all afternoon, scoring his fourth goal of the season before adding an assist on the game-winning goal to give him six points in 2024.
WHERE THEY STAND
Despite back-to-back losses at home, the Heat (2-4-2) continue to hold on to fourth place in the Canada West Pacific division. Meanwhile, a strong Calgary (4-1-2) squad keeps pace with the No. 10-ranked Alberta Golden Bears in the Prairie division, sitting in second place.
UP NEXT
The Heat will be back on the road next week as they play just a single game in Alberta against the Lethbridge Pronghorns (2-2-3) on Sunday, September 22. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. PT and fans can catch the action live on CanadaWest.tv.
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Women's soccer stymied on the road by Timberwolves
The UBC Okanagan Heat women's soccer team were undone by a strong goalkeeping performance on Sunday afternoon as they lost 1-0 on the road to the UNBC Timberwolves.
The Heat dominated for much of the match on Sunday, particularly in the second half, as they finished the game with 16 shots on goal compared to just four for the host Timberwolves. However, UNBC keeper Brityn Hinsche of Williams Lake, B.C., was up for the task as she finished the match with 14 saves for the clean sheet.
The lone goal of the match game on the Timberwolves only shot attempt of the second half as third-year defender Blake Plummer of Juneau, Alaska headed a shot past Heat keeper Talia Gagnon of Dieppe, N.B., for the game-winning tally.
UBCO would pour on the pressure in the final 10 minutes of the match, but Hinsche was there each time, making six saves after the 80th minute to give the hosts their first win of the season.
TOP PERFORMERS
D Maya Letellier - UBCO
The rookie from Calgary had another strong performance for the Heat, making her presence felt throughout the match, finishing with five shots, including four shots on goal.
GK Brityn Hinsche - UNBC
The third-year keeper played hero for the Timberwolves on Sunday, with her performance helping UNBC pick up their first three points of the season.
WHERE THEY STAND
With the loss, UBCO (2-3-0) falls into a tie with the Thompson Rivers WolfPack (2-2-0) for fourth place in the Pacific division standings while the Timberwolves (1-3-0) move into a tie for seventh in the division.
UP NEXT
The Heat will head back to Kelowna to kick off a four-game home stand on Friday night, September 21, as they get set to host the Mount Royal Cougars (1-3-1) at Homecoming. Game time is set for 6 p.m. at Nonis Sports Field and tickets to the game are free for all fans. For any alumni attending, they can register for the Off-The-Pitch reception to enjoy the action right on the field with free food and drink.
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Men's soccer falls on home turf to No. 10 Golden Bears
The UBC Okanagan Heat men's soccer team had their four-game point streak snapped on Friday night as they dropped a 2-0 decision to the U SPORTS No. 10-ranked Alberta Golden Bears at Nonis Sports Field.
The undefeated Golden Bears (4-0-1) got off to a quick start in their first visit to Kelowna in five years as they found in the opener 13 minutes in. Third-year forward Marcus Velado-Tsegaye of Edmonton, found a loose ball in the box before depositing it past Heat keeper Ronan Woodroffe of Toronto to give the visitors the lead.
That scoreline would hold into the second half but the Heat would put themselves further behind the eight ball in the 60th minute when defender Ian Klumpen of Austin, Texas was shown a straight red.
Minutes later, Alberta would extend their lead through Habib Assem of Edmonton, to take a 2-0 advantage.
Down a man, UBCO pushed to get back into the match and looked to have cut the lead in half in the 79th minute before the play was rules offside.
Alberta would hold off the Heat from there to come away with the victory.
TOP PERFORMERS
F Oliver Deveau - UBCO
The second-year forward was a bright spot for the Heat on an otherwise tough evening as he finished the match with three shots, including two shots on goal.
F Marchus Velado-Tsegaye - ALB
The third-year forward was lively up top for the Golden Bears, leading their press and causing havoc for the Heat defenders. He also finished the night with the game winning goal to go along with five shots, including three on target.
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Women's soccer hangs tough with No. 1 Thunderbirds on the road
For the third-consecutive meeting, the UBC Okanagan Heat women's soccer team gave the U SPORTS No. 1-ranked UBC Thunderbirds all they could handle, but ultimately came up just short by one goal, falling in a thrilling 3-2 match on Friday night at Thunderbirds Stadium.
The home team, who celebrated their 2023 U SPORTS Championship before the start of the match, got off to a flying start in this one as they scored twice in the opening 18 minutes to take a 2-0 lead.
However, the Heat responded shortly thereafter in the 22nd minute on an absolute banger from midfielder Annika Gross of Kelowna, B.C. The fourth-year corralled a loose ball 25-yards out and fired a shot into the top corner past UBC keeper Dakota Beckett of Langley, B.C., to cut the deficit in half.
The goal was the first that the Thunderbirds have conceded through their opening three matches this season.
Before the half was up, the Thunderbirds would restore the two-goal advantage as Vanessa Tome of Surrey, B.C., scored her second of the opening 45 to give the hosts a 3-1 cushion going into the second half.
Early in the second half, the Heat once again responded thanks to fourth-year midfielder Alyssa Scott of North Vancouver, B.C. Scott cleaned up a rebound off a shot from rookie defender Maya Letellier of Calgary, to once again make it a one-goal game at 3-2.
For Letellier, the point was the first of her Heat career.
However, UBCO were unable to complete the comeback against their sister-school rivals as the Thunderbirds held on for the third-straight one goal victory against the Heat.
TOP PERFORMERS
MF Annika Gross - UBCO
The fourth-year midfielder was at her very best once again on Friday night, playing a full 90 minutes and firing home her second goal in a Heat uniform.
F Vanessa Tome - UBC
The fifth-year forward provided an offensive spark for the Thunderbirds, scoring a pair of goals, including the game-winner.