Men's soccer earns draw on the road against Spartans

LANGLEY, B.C. — The UBC Okanagan Heat men's soccer team (0-2-1) and the Trinity Western Spartans (1-3-1) battled to a 1-1 draw at Chase Office Field on Friday night, with both teams scoring in the second half.

The opening 45 minutes between the Heat and Trinity Western was marked by defensive plays and strategic positioning, with neither team able to break the scoreless deadlock. UBCO's Ronan Woodroffe was active in the goal, notably making key saves against shots by Charles Nana and Adam Hajdecki in the 38th and 43rd minutes, respectively. Trinity Western applied pressure with three corner kicks, all taken by Nana, but failed to capitalize on these opportunities. The first half closed with a header attempt by Jace Wiebe in the final moments, which was also saved by Woodroffe, maintaining the 0-0 scoreline.

The second half saw Trinity Western break the deadlock in the 58th minute with a goal by Francis Powell, assisted by Nana, marking Powell's second goal of the season. 

UBCO responded swiftly, equalizing in the 68th minute with Gavin La Montagne's first goal of the season, assisted by Oliver Deveau. Woodroffe made crucial saves throughout, including a stop against a shot by Nana at the 90th minute, ensuring the game ended in a 1-1 draw.

Woodroffe recorded six saves, conceding only one goal which was of the spectacular fashion. Deveau contributed an assist, helping to set up a scoring opportunity. La Montagne added a goal, converting on his only shot attempt of the match.

The next challenge for UBC) takes them to Abbotsford, B.C., where they will face the UFV Cascades on Saturday, September 6. The match kicks off at 7 p.m., setting the stage for an exciting evening encounter.

Game Notes:
- La Montagne's second half strike was the first goal of his Heat career
- Woodroffe's six saves moved him to within four of cracking the Canada West Top 10 all-time as he now has 206 career saves