For immediate release

October 19, 2009

Kwantlen Eagles Clinch Playoff Berth

(METRO VANCOUVER, B.C.) The Kwantlen Eagles Women’s Soccer team clinched a berth in the 2009 BCCAA Provincial Championships this past weekend with two key victories at home. The women came into the weekend fighting for the third and final playoff spot from their pool. The Eagles started their weekend off on the right foot with a thrilling 2-1 win over the Thompson Rivers Wolfpack. This marked the first victory against the Wolfpack in Kwantlen’s history.

The women struck early with a goal by freshman striker Shanay Sangha (Richmond). The game looked to be a 1-1 stalemate until midway through the second half when Right back, Christina Henderson (Delta) placed a well struck shot in the top corner, beating the Wolfpack goal tender. “It was a nervous day for our team. Shanay scored first early in the first half and Christina Henderson scored the second goal. We had solid defense and it was a real team effort,” recalls Coach Vladimir Samozvanov. “It was the first time the Eagles has beaten Thompson Rivers and the second time they have qualified for playoffs. We were very happy with the results.”

The Eagles followed this historic victory with a 1-0 shutout win against the UBC-Okanagan Heat to finish their season with a 5-5-2 record. Although after Saturday’s victory, the Kwantlen Eagles had clinched their second straight trip to the BCCAA Provincial Championships, the win against the Heat was a strong showing for the women. Shanay Sangha scored her seventh goal of the season, leading the Eagles in goals. Rose Kelly (Surrey) held the back line strong recording her second shutout of the season. "After Saturday's result, which secured our playoff spot, we wanted to keep momentum going and finish the league season on a winning note," says Samozvanov. “The team had many chances to score and finally did when Shanay scored the winning goal.”

On the men’s side, the Eagles finished their season off with two strong showings against Thompson Rivers and UBC-Okanagan. “Despite the 2-1 loss, Kwantlen played really well. Our man marking was greatly improved. Thompson Rivers had great depth on their side and didn't allow us to create many chances,” says Coach Moshen Hatamian.

The Eagles Women’s team will now test their skills at the BCCAA Provincial Championships hosted by Douglas College this upcoming weekend. Their first match will be against Vancouver Island University, who tied the Eagles 2-2 during the regular season.The Quarter Final match will be played at Cunnings Field, Coquitlam this Friday, October 23 at 4:00 pm. Fans are invited to come support the Eagles!

Kwantlen’s varsity athletics teams are the Kwantlen Eagles. In basketball, soccer, badminton and golf, they compete in national intercollegiate leagues. For more information about the Kwantlen Eagles, visit kwantlen.ca/eagles

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For more information about the Eagles soccer programs, contact:
Elise Le Brun
Director, Athletics & Recreation
Tel: 604.599.2005
elise.lebrun@kwantlen.ca  

OR

For more information about Kwantlen, contact:
Peter Chevrier
Director, Marketing & Communications
Tel: 604.599.2286
peter.chevrier@kwantlen.ca