For immediate release

Kwantlen's Eagles Post a Solid Start to the Season

METRO VANCOUVER, BC – (September 13, 2011) – Kwantlen Polytechnic University's Eagles soccer teams launched into the 2011-12 British Columbia Colleges' Athletic Association (BCCAA) this past weekend with a win, a tie and two losses against the Thompson Rivers University Wolfpack and University of British Columbia Okanagan Heat.

Saturday's match-up against the Thompson Rivers University Wolfpack started with the women; the first goal was scored in the first half by rookie midfielder Jenessa Moore (Vernon). But, the Wolfpack answered soon after and tied the game.

The match was evenly contested between both teams, but the game winner was sealed by the Eagles co-captain, and 2010 league All-Star, Shanay Sangha (Richmond) late in the closing minutes of the game. The Eagles won 2-1.

On the men's side, with nine new names on the Eagles men's roster, the newly formed team stacked up well against the Wolfpack and asserted their authority over their home field.

Second-year defender, Connor "Flash" Sheepwash (Delta) was quick to make an impact when he stepped on the field in the second-half. Pushing a fast-paced tempo with his speed and desire to win the ball, he sealed the Eagles first goal for the season and tied it up with the Wolfpack 1-1.

"After a slow start, we were impressed with the players' attitude to come back and tie 1-1," said head coach Ajit Braich.

On Sunday, the Eagles faced the UBCO Heat. On the women's side, the Heat were fresh off a 5-0 win over the Royals the day prior, so the Eagles knew that not only was the weather going to be a factor. For the majority of the second half the score remained tied, but a late tap-in goal by UBCO sealed the victory for the Heat. Notable performers for the Eagles this weekend were fifth-year mid-fielder, Marissa Dionne (North Delta), fourth-year mid-fielder Christina Henderson (Delta) and second-year Nicole Gibbons (Delta) in goal.

"We had to make a lot of adjustments due to the goalkeeping situation, but the players handled their new roles really well," said head coach Gordon Smith. "We were unlucky not to score a bunch of goals today, but I'm proud of the team's efforts in both games."

The women closed the first weekend of league games with a 1-0-1 record.

On the men's side, the Eagles played well with their possession for the first 30 minutes and had many opportunities on net, but numerous unforced errors hampered the Eagles from taking control of the game. In the second half, the Heat came out with a more aggressive approach, forcing the ball down through the mid-field and set up a number of goal opportunities. The Eagles held tight and continued to put pressure on the Heat's defense, but fell short on the scoreboard. A tough Heat squad proved to be too much for the Eagles on Sunday afternoon and they were defeated 4-0.

Regardless of the end result, head coach Ajit Braich reflected on the team's performance stating, "We're very proud of the players; Taking a point in the first weekend is a good start, and now we're looking forward to putting some work into correcting the unforced errors."

The men closed the first weekend of league games with a 0-1-1 record.

The Eagles play their next two games on the road next weekend. Saturday September 17 takes them to North Vancouver to face the Capilano Blues and on Sunday, September 18 to Nanaimo to take on the Vancouver Island Mariners. Kick-off for women is at 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. for the men both games.

Complete game results can be found at: www.kwantlen.ca/eagles

Kwantlen Polytechnic University has been serving the Metro Vancouver region for 30 years, and has opened doors to success for more than 200,000 people. Four campuses—Richmond, Surrey, Cloverdale and Langley—offer a comprehensive range of sought-after programs, including business, liberal arts and science, design, health, trades and technology, apprenticeships, horticulture, and academic and career advancement. Over 17,000 students annually have a choice from over 135 programs, including bachelor's degrees, associate degrees, diplomas, certificates and citations.

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For more information about the Kwantlen Eagles, contact:

Elise Le Brun
Director, Athletics & Recreation
Tel: 604.599.2005
elise.lebrun@kwantlen.ca

For more information about Kwantlen, contact:
Joanne Saunders
Director, Marketing and Communications
Tel: 604.599.2243
joanne.saunders@kwantlen.ca