BOX SCORE

LANGLEY, B.C. – The young University of Calgary Dinos women's soccer team wrapped up its season-opening road swing through B.C. with a 6-1 loss to the Trinity Western Spartans Saturday night.

After an even start to the match, the Spartans took the lead with a good cross from the left to find Alicia Tesan who opened the scoring.  The Dinos picked up their intensity and applying high pressure, created several good opportunities to score before half time.  With minutes to go in the first half, Trinity added another goal after what seemed to be an aimless cross drifted under the body of 'keeper Lauren Good from a wide angle. The Spartans followed up with another shortly after, when a corner wasn't cleared and Jessica King followed in to convert from the edge of the 18 yard box.

The second half started brightly with the Dinos enjoying good possession in the attacking third. After some loose marking, Jenna DiNunzio finished well to put the Spartans up 4-0 after 47 minutes. With play going back and forth in the next 15 minutes, Nikki Furukawa was fouled on a breakaway. From the ensuing free kick, Maddie Lee found Kiyomi McInnes with an inch-perfect cross that she duly converted with her header flying in at the near post.

With tired legs and injuries mounting for Calgary, the Spartans were able to add another two late goals, with the scoreline finishing a convincing 6-1. Despite the score, Dinos head coach Matt Shepherd was very happy with aspects of his team's play.

"Credit to Trinity, they scored some good goals today," said Shepherd. "They have a much older team on average than us, and that experience showed today in certain situations. I'm very happy with the progress being shown by the new recruits, and squad overall, and with more application to our defending, we will be great improvers this season."

The Dinos return home this weekend to face a pair of provincial rivals in their home opener. Saturday, Calgary hosts the Alberta Pandas, while the Mount Royal Cougars pay a visit to the West Varsity Pitch Sunday in what will be the first CIS contest in any sport between the crosstown rivals. Kickoff for both games goes at 12 p.m.

-UC-