THIS WEEK IN SPARTA

LANGLEY, British Columbia – This Week in Sparta sees more teams getting going for the 2024-25 season. Men’s and women’s soccer are on the road for conference match-ups, men’s and women’s cross-country have their first meet of the year, men’s rugby continues Coastal Cup play, while men’s hockey and men’s volleyball start their preseason games.
 
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MEN’S RUGBY
Saturday, September 7, vs No. 2 Victoria Vikes, Langley, B.C.
2:30 p.m. (PT) – Langley Rugby Club

NOTABLE

• The Vikes are currently ranked No. 2 in the National Rugby Rankings, while the Spartans are ranked No. 5.
• Both teams are 0-2 to start the Coastal Cup season.
• TWU lost 59-38 to Pacific Pride last week at home in Langley, B.C., while Victoria lost 44-33 to the UBC Thunderbirds in Vancouver.
• The Spartans are 1-5 lifetime versus the Vikes.
• In their last meeting TWU lost 32-17 to Victoria.

AWAY
 
WOMEN’S SOCCER
Friday, September 20 at UBC Thunderbirds, Vancouver, B.C.
5 p.m. (PT) – Thunderbirds Stadium | WATCH
Sunday, September 22 at UNBC Timberwolves, Prince George, B.C.
12:00 p.m. (PT) – Masich Place Stadium | WATCH

NOTABLE

• The No. 4 (U SPORTS Top 10) TWU Spartans (2-0-2) open the weekend against the No. 1 UBC Thunderbirds (4-0) in Vancouver, B.C. and then after a day off travel to Prince George to face the UNBC Timberwolves (1-3).
• The Spartans and the Thunderbirds last met in the 2023 U SPORTS championship, which UBC prevailed 1-0 in overtime against the Spartans. Prior to that meeting TWU defeated UBC 1-0 in PK in the Canada West championship.
• TWU is currently 19-28-12 against UBC.
• Last season in conference play UBC defeated TWU 1-0 in the lone conference match-up.
• The Spartans are currently 12-0-1 lifetime against the Timberwolves and defeated UNBC 4-0 in their lone matchup last season in Prince George, B.C.
• Last weekend TWU tied Victoria 1-1, and Mount Royal 2-1, while UBC defeated UBC Okanagan 3-2, and TRU 1-0 in Vancouver, with UNBC lost to TRU 2-1, while defeating UBC Okanagan 1-0.  

MEN’S SOCCER
Saturday, September 21 at Alberta Golden Bears, Edmonton, Alta.
2:15 p.m. (MT) – Foote Field | WATCH
Sunday, September 22 at MacEwan Griffins, Edmonton, Alta.
12:00 p.m. (MT) – Clarke Stadium | WATCH
 
NOTABLE

• The Spartans are on the road again with a 1-3-1 record to face the Alberta Golden Bears (4-1-1) and the MacEwan Griffins (2-3-1).
• The Spartans are 16-12-9 lifetime against the Golden Bears. In their last meeting Alberta defeated TWU 3-1 in the 2023 Canada West quarter finals.
• Previously in conference play at TWU the Spartans lost 1-0 to the Golden Bears.
• TWU last played Alberta in Edmonton in 2017, where Spartans won the match 2-0.
• Trinity Western is 2-0-1 lifetime against MacEwan.
• The Spartans and the Griffins last met in 2022 when TWU won 3-0 in Langley, B.C.
• TWU has played MacEwan once in Edmonton, which resulted in a 1-1 draw in 2018.
• Last weekend TWU defeated MRU 3-1 in Langley, Alberta defeated UBC Okanagan 2-0 and lost to UBC 4-2 on the road, while MacEwan is on a two-game winning streak after defeating TRU 3-2 and UNBC 4-1 on the road.
• The Spartans will play eight of their first nine matches on the road.

WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY
Saturday, September 21 at Pacific Lutheran Invitational, Tacoma, Wash.
11:10 a.m. (PT) – PLU Cross Country Course | LIVESTATS
 
NOTABLE

• This is the first event of the 2024 season for the Spartans
• Live Stats are available HERE
• Meet information is available HERE
• Meet Program is available HERE

MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY
Saturday, September 21 at Pacific Lutheran Invitational, Tacoma, Wash.
11:45 a.m. (PT) – PLU Cross Country Course | LIVE STATS
 
NOTABLE

• This is the first event of the 2024 season for the Spartans
• Live Stats are available HERE
• Meet information is available HERE
• Meet Program is available HERE

HOME/AWAY
 
MEN’S HOCKEY
Thursday, September 19, vs UBC Thunderbirds, Langley, BC
8:00 p.m. (PT) – Langley Events Centre
Friday, September 20, at Simon Fraser Red Leafs, Burnaby, BC
7:00 p.m. (PT) – Bill Copeland Sports Centre
Saturday, September 21, at Simon Fraser Red Leafs, Burnaby, BC
7:00 p.m. (PT) – Bill Copeland Sports Centre
 
MEN’S VOLLEYBALL
Friday, September 20, vs Fraser Valley Cascades, Abbotsford, BC
7:00 p.m. (PT) – Cascades Athletic Centre
Saturday, September 21, HOME COMING, Langley, B.C.
2:30 p.m. (PT) – David E. Enarson Gym
 
About Spartan Athletics
As official members of U SPORTS, the Spartans currently compete in 13 sports in the Canada West conference, including women’s and men’s soccer, volleyball, basketball, hockey, cross country, and track & field, as well as women’s rugby sevens. TWU also competes as an independent team in men’s rugby, as well as women’s and men’s disc golf. Since TWU entered U SPORTS in 1999, the Spartans have won 13 U SPORTS team championships and 32 Canada West team championships.
 
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