WolfPack soccer men hold fate in their hands
There’s nothing confusing about what the TRU WolfPack men’s soccer team has to do this weekend at Hillside Stadium — win twice and they qualify for the Pacific Western Athletic Association (PWAA) playoffs.
TRU (6-2-4) is hosting the Capilano University Blues (2-3-7) at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 20, and the Vancouver Island University Mariners (8-3-1) at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 21, in what is the final weekend of the regular season.
“If the boys concentrate on the job in front of them and not next week, we will be fine,” WolfPack co-head coach Sean Wallace said.
“If they play the way we have them performing right now on Saturday, we should be OK.”
Only the top four teams advance to the post-season.
The WolfPack sit third in the PWAA standings, one point up on both Kwantlen Polytechnic of Surrey and Langara College of Vancouver, both of which also have two games remaining, including one against each other.
“We believe the key to success is playing as a team and working for one another on the field for the common goal,” Wallace said.
“We are on a bit of a roll right now and the boys are playing with confidence, which is always good at this time of year.”
— with files from TRU
Pack go for kill
The WolfPack’s soccer women are in a less stressful spot than TRU’s men, with a playoff spot already secured, but there is still plenty on the line for them this weekend at Hillside.
A pair of wins — against Capilano on Saturday, a 1 p.m. start, and VIU on Sunday, a noon kickoff — would give them the No. 1 seed heading into the PWAA playoffs.
The match will double as a farewell to Hillside for fifth-year players Blair MacKay of Kamloops, along with sisters Abbey and Chloe McAuley of Langley.
The PWAA playoffs will run on Friday, Oct. 26, and Saturday, Oct. 27, in Squamish.
A first-place finish would secure a spot in the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association championships, held in November on Prince Edward Island.
Badminton is back
The TRU WolfPack badminton team is hosting a PWAA tournament on Friday, Oct. 19, and Saturday, Oct. 20, inside the TRU gymnasium.
The action gets underway at noon on Friday and at 9 a.m. on Saturday.
Former Pack head coach Brad Pape retired after last season, making way for Alex Perkin, a former TRU player, and his father, Ross, to take over.
“The team is working hard at improving and getting to the level of play expected of university badminton,” Alex said.
“We are hoping for results from some of our key players on the weekend.”
Who are these guys?
Unfamiliar opponents will arrive at the Tournament Capital Centre this weekend to play exhibition games against the TRU WolfPack’s men’s basketball team.
TRU is hosting the York Yeomen of Ontario University Athletics at 6 p.m. on Friday and the Montana State Northern Skylights of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics at 4 p.m. on Saturday.
Tourney time at TRU
The WolfPack basketball women are hosting a round-robin exhibition tournament this weekend.
The WolfPack will meet the MacEwen University Griffins of Edmonton at 4 p.m. on Friday, the Saskatchewan Huskies at 6 p.m. on Saturday and the Victoria Vikes at 11 a.m. on Sunday.
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