VANCOUVER – The University of Calgary Dinos men's soccer team pushed the four-time defending Canada West champions into extra time and eventually penalties, but a heroic performance by goalkeeper Peter Whyte saw the UBC Thunderbirds claim their fifth consecutive conference title.

Still scoreless at the end of 120 minutes of play on Sunday at Thunderbird Stadium, the teams headed into penalties. Calgary had a chance to win it with their fifth kick, but Whyte denied Koen Schoffner, and two rounds later Markus Kaiser tucked away the decisive penalty to claim gold and their 22nd conference banner in men's soccer.

It was a heartbreaking ending for the Dinos after such a dramatic season and late run. Calgary returns home with silver medals along with plenty of upside and a solid foundation.

"We're immensely proud," Dinos head coach Brendan O'Connell said after the match. "The boys have been committed all season, they only came back in August, and we peaked at the right time. We're a very young team and this experience is going to hold them in good stead. We're very, very proud of them.

"I think this is going to be a strong team for the next three, four, five years and we've got others coming through as well. It does keep the program in good stead, and they absolutely deserve to be there. We won the games that mattered. They gave absolutely everything."

UBC controlled the first-half possession, while Calgary hit on the counter, as the Thunderbirds fired in the shots but without causing too many issues for Dinos 'keeper Jake Ruschkowski.

The Dinos had the first real chance of the half 19 minutes in when William Omoreniye rose well but headed wide.

The Thunderbirds' best chance came six minutes later when Ruschkowski could only parry a fierce Nick Fussell strike but the Dinos cleared the danger from the rebound.

UBC upped the intensity from the get-go to start the second half, launching wave after wave of attacks and coming close on a couple of occasions.

Fussell forced a save from Ruschkowski just 44 seconds after the restart. The Calgary keeper was unable to hold on to the ball but scrambled to recover the rebound with Victory Shumbusho waiting to pounce and poke home the opener.

And it was the same story on the hour mark, with Rushkowski keeping out a fierce 12-yard strike from Fussell and just getting to the loose ball ahead of Shumbusho.

The Dinos were still very much a danger themselves and semi-final hero Decklin Mahmi almost became their final hero with a lovely looping effort from an Omoreniye cross that brought a fantastic one-handed acrobatic save from Whyte as he flew across his goal.

Ruschkowski came up with another huge save mid-way through the half to deny Shumbusho, after the striker's lovely touch and turn.

Both sides pushed hard to try and find the winner in regulation time, but neither could and they headed for another 30 minutes in the enthralling encounter.

The Thunderbirds dominated the play in extra time but it was the Dinos that had the best chance on a foray forward, with Gianmarco Plenzik firing into the side netting before going into penalty kicks.

UBC now turn their attention to their quest for a 14th U SPORTS national title in Kamloops next week.