CALGARY – In their most challenging test of the season so far, the No. 6 University of Calgary Dinos knocked off the No. 1-ranked Trinity Western Spartans 2-1 in a spirited affair at Dinosaur Field on Sunday afternoon.
Taylor Wells opened the scoring for the Dinos before
Amy Mikuska put the match to bed with a game-winner on a penalty kick late in the second half.
The Spartans got their lone goal from Jenaya Robertson and now lose their lead atop the Canada West's Pacific Division to the Dinos. Calgary improves to 8-0-2, while Trinity Western drops to 8-1-1 on the season.
The Dinos got on the scoreboard first with a controversial goal in the 10th minute.
Kelsie MacDonald sent the ball on net where Wells got the final touch before it crossed the line. The goal was contested by Trinity Western for offside, but ultimately held up.
Just over 14 minutes later, the Spartans responded with a free kick just outside the 18-yard box. Robertson was able to curl the ball over Calgary's wall and into the top left corner past goalkeeper
Lauren Houghton.
"I wasn't particularly thrilled about our first half," reflected Dinos head coach
Troye Flannery. "In the second half we turned it up a notch and really put our foot down."
With the wind in their favour in the second half, the Dinos fired three of their four shots on goal in the final 45 minutes of the match.
The Dinos' pressure paid off in the 83rd minute when MacDonald was taken down in the box, resulting in a penalty kick. With a chance to take the lead late in the game, Mikuska made no mistake firing the ball into the top right corner.
Trinity Western had two late corner kicks to try and even the score, but the Dinos' defence held strong to hold off the comeback attempt.
The Dinos are at home next weekend for a pair of games versus the UNBC Timberwolves at Dinosaur Field, Oct. 12-13, while the Spartans return to Langley, B.C. to begin a home-and-home set versus the Fraser Valley Cascades next weekend.
