Pack win PWAA gold
The Pacific Western Athletic Association (PWAA) women’s soccer player of the year was money when it counted most.
Kamloops product Alanna Bekkering scored in the 45th minute against the UBC-Okanagan Heat to give the TRU WolfPack a 1-0 lead in the PWAA final, played on Saturday, Oct. 27, in Squamish.
The Wolfpack held on to win 1-0 and claim their second straight PWAA title.
“She was excellent,” WolfPack head coach Tom McManus said of Bekkering, who was named the championship’s most valuable player.
“She and Marlie [Rittinger] worked extremely well together. But, this was a team effort all the way.”
With the win, TRU booked a spot in the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association championship tournament, which kicks off on Nov. 5 in Prince Edward Island.
The WolfPack were forced to come back from a 2-0 deficit against the Langara College Falcons in a semifinal tilt on Friday, Oct. 26.
TRU scored five straight goals, with Rittinger, Laura Smylie, Amanda Barrett and Courtney Daly (2) doing the damage.
Three of the markers came in extra-time.
McManus said TRU’s experience in last year’s PWAA championship tournament gave them an edge this time around.
“They weren’t as nervous,” he said.
“They played composed soccer, were smart and played with passion.
“Our girls did extremely well. They did what I asked of them and I am very proud.”
TRU bronze
The TRU WolfPack men’s soccer team fell short of gold at the PWAA championship, but won bronze with a 6-2 thumping of the Kwantlen Polytechnic Eagles in Squamish on Sunday, Oct. 28.
Oriol Torres netted a hat trick for the winners and Kyle Fertile, Colton Walker and Justin Smeaton added singles to sink Kwantlen.
TRU was blanked 4-0 in a semifinal matchup with Vancouver Island University on Saturday.
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