CAPERS Fall to Host in PKs, Play for Bronze on Sunday

KAMLOOPS – For the first time in program history the Thompson Rivers WolfPack will play on the biggest stage possible after they upset the Cape Breton Capers in a semifinal shootout at the U SPORTS Men's Soccer Championship in Kamloops Friday night.
 
"It just means everything, everyone has been so behind us at the university – Matt Milovick, Curtis Atkinson – and the entire athletic department," said WolfPack head coach John Antulov. "Everyone has been unbelievable and the community came out to support in a big way."
 
After neither regulation nor extra time could separate the teams, TRU snagged the victory thanks to a pair of penalty stops by Jackson Gardner and a second-straight shootout winning goal from Patrick Izett.
 
Marco Favaro and Elijah Dos Santos scored for TRU from free play with Cian Lynch and Muad Mohamoud answering for Cape Breton.
 
In what was a cagey affair all night long, neither team was able to grab the lead in the opening half despite TRU outshooting CBU 12-6 at the half.
 
That changed in the 51st minute when Favaro found the back of the net. A corner kick from Izett bounced around the 18-yard box before popping out to Favaro who made no mistake to hammer the ball into the back of the net.
 
TRU appeared well on their way to clinching their spot in the championship game before the Capers struck late.
 
CBU goalkeeper Daniel Clarke left his net for a corner kick in the 85th minute and his header bounced to a Cape Breton forward who struck the ball off a WolfPack defender's hands for a penalty shot.
 
Cian Lynch made no mistake from the spot, placing the ball calmly past Jackson Gardner to send the game into extra time.
 
Elijah Dos Santos put the WolfPack back ahead just two minutes into the first extra period after he poked in a corner kick from Izett.
 
Once again the Capers refused to go away however and tied the game up three minutes from the final whistle off a set-piece of their own.
 
Ze Cunha sent in a curling ball that was nodded into the box where Mohamoud met it with a thunderous strike to tie the game at 2-2 and send it into a shootout.
 
For the second-straight night the WolfPack emerged victorious from the shootout, handing the No. 1 seed Capers their first loss of the season in process.
 
"I think we have been in control of both our games," said Antulov. "We kept fighting back every time we hit a little bit of adversity, the guys just played really well."
 
Already on the best run in program history, the WolfPack will get the chance to take the gold on home soil when they face the UBC Thunderbirds in an all Canada West championship game at 2:00 p.m. PT on Sunday.
 
"I told the guys that we are a team that deserves to be here, we are a quality squad and can play with anyone in Canada and we've proven that over the last two games," said Antulov.
 
 
Cape Breton meanwhile, will have match up against the Montreal Carabins in a bronze medal game slated for 11:00 a.m. PT on Sunday.
 
Nike Top Performers
 

• TRU:  Akwasi Agyekum
• CBU: Jamie Watson

 
SCORING SUMMARY
 
First Half
-
Second Half
51' TRU #21 Marco Favaro TRU 1-0
84' CBU #10 Cian Lynch TRU 1-1 CBU
 
First Extra Time
92' TRU #5 Elijah Dos Santos TRU 2-1
 
Second Extra Time
107' CBU #20 Muad Mohamoud TRU 2-2 CBU