Chilliwack, BC…..The University of the Fraser Valley Cascades defeat the University of Northern British Columbia Timberwolves, 2-1, in regular season Canada West action at Townsend Park.  Tonight’s game was the first of  two regular season matches  with the visiting Timberwolves.  Tomorrow’s match takes place at Chilliwack’s Exhibition Field at 7:15pm.  The Cascades are now 4-3-0 for 12 points, in third place, in the Pacific Division of Canada West.  The Timberwolves fall to 1-3-1 and are now tied with the Trinity Western University Spartans for fourth place, in the Pacific Division, with four points.
 
The first half showed a veteran Cascades squad using their patience and skill to test the young Timberwolves team, who are now in their sophomore year in the CIS.  The UFV offense forced numerous UNBC errors that resulted in multiple Cascade corner kicks.  The UFV defense led by Sahib Phagura, Abbotsford, BC kept pushing the play into the midfield, allowing Justin Sekhon, Abbotsford and Connor MacMillan, Chilliwack, BC, to create numerous offensive opportunities for James Najman, Surrey, BC and Dalibor Plavsic, Coquitlam, BC.
 
The Cascades patience on offense paid off in the 24th minute.  A foul called on a UNBC defender, in the box, resulted in a  penalty kick for UFV.  MacMillan, a second year Kinesiology major, put the ball past UNBC goalkeeper Tyrone Venhola, Abbotsford, BC, to give the Cascades a 1-0 lead.  The penalty shot marks the third scored by UFV this season.  UFV would double up the score when Connor O’Neill, Abbotsford, BC, found Plavsic  who beat Venhola in the 32nd minute.  Cascades goalkeeper Mark Village, Abbotsford, BC, had two saves in the first half, Venhola made five in the half.
 
The Timberwolves came out strong and tested the UFV defense in the second half.  UNBC continuously won the loose balls in the midfield which inevitably paid off as Jake Vickers, Calgary, AB, set up Tyson Hunter, Langley, BC on the right side of the field.  Hunter’s one-time shot beat Village to the short side to put UNBC on the board in the 48th minute.  The Timberwolves continued to pressure UFV’s defense but key saves by Village and the strong Cascades backline suppressed any ensuing offensive efforts by UNBC.

Village ended the second half with three saves and a total of five on the night, Venhola recorded five saves and finished overall with 10.  UFV Player of the Game was first year Kinesiology major and defender Dylan Jordan, Surrey, BC.  UNBC Player of the Game was midfielder Hunter.
 
“I was very happy with the backline tonight they kept UNBC from penetrating and shooting point blank on Village,” commented UFV head coach Alan Errington.  “I was very impressed with Dylan’s (Jordan) play tonight, he stepped up in Ravi Singh’s absence and played like a veteran.”