A late goal stole the triumph from the lips and the song from the hearts of UFV’s men’s soccer team tonight as they fell 2-1 to the UBCO Heat on Nonis Field in Kelowna. The Cascades fell behind early, pulled even late, and then surrendered one more in extra time to stretch their losing streak to three (0-3-0). The Heat improve to 2-1-0 in their inaugural year in the CIS, and look more than ever like a team that deserves to be playing at the highest level of Canadian varsity competition.
UFV seemed a little leaden in the first half as UBCO chased them all over the field, breaking up the Cascades usual precision with impressive pace and intensity. Despite the pressure, UFV managed several quality chances on the Heat keeper, Christopher Cuthill, and looked to be building momentum towards a goal. Unfortunately the eventual tally came from Heat striker (and former Cascade) Jorden Leib in the 25th minute as he put one past UFV’s Alex Skrzeta from deep in the box.
Leib’s goal stood as the only marker well into the second half, even as the Cascades searched ever more aggressively for a rebuttal. UFV finally caught a break in the 79th minute when Juan Pablo Mora Perea was brought down in the penalty area and was given a chance from the spot. Colton O’Neill capitalized to tie the game at one apiece, giving his team renewed appetite through the next ten minutes for another goal and a possible win.
Elijah Sampson, Ryan Liddiard, and Kree Byrne would all have quality opportunities to convert for the Cascades, but the only actualized chance would come on the opposite end of the pitch from the boot of UBCO’s Enzo Paal at the tail end of extra time. The Cascades, who have not scored a goal during normal play yet this season, will have to wait until tomorrow night to hopefully find their first win of the 2014 campaign.
“I’m obviously disappointed,” said head coach Alan Errington. “We really didn’t play well. We didn’t create enough, and can’t seem to score in open play. Mason Thompson was the Player of the Match, and in all fairness Alex [Skrzeta] didn’t do a lot wrong, but we had a lot of substandard performances. I expect more from the players, and they expect more from each other.”
The Cascades play again tomorrow night at 7 pm against the TRU WolfPack in Kamloops. Watch the game online at http://canadawest.tv
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