Lopez Leads Varsity Reds To Win

(FREDERICTON, NB) The Acadia Axemen gave up their first goal of the season, which led to their first loss of the season.

Jose Lopez(Calgary, AB) scored in the 61^st minute to give the UNB Varsity Reds a 1-0 win over the visiting Axemen, at BMO Centre, on Sunday afternoon.

Lopez managed to elude a pair of Acadia defenders before hammering a shot from about 25 metres out. The shot beat Axemen keeper Pietro Nottegar(Dartmouth, NS).

"I felt if we could press there, I might get a chance," said Lopez. "I got lucky with the bounce and I managed to get off a shot."

Lopez was named the Subway Player of the Game.

"We love playing these games," he said. "This win means a lot to us."

Both teams were able to generate scoring chances, and both keepers made key saves.

Nottegar stopped four of the five shots he faced.

First year Varsity Red Evan Barker(Winnipeg, MB) earned his fourth consecutive clean sheet.

"He doesn't play like a rookie back there, he's very composed and very solid," said UNB head coach Miles Pinsent. "He's come through in the big moments when we need him to, to keep us in the game, so he's done everything we've needed him to."

"We handed the goal to them on a plate," said Acadia head coach Findlay MacRae. "That's the worst part of it, if we'd come away with a draw… I mean, we gave the goal to them."

Unhappy with giving up the goal, MacRae was happy with his team's effort.

"We didn't give up and we kept going, so I'm satisfied with our effort, it's just that we shouldn't have given that goal away."

Despite cold, wind and some heavy showers, the game was played in front of 292 spectators.

The Varsity Reds remain unbeaten, with a record of 2-0-3, while the Axemen are now 4-1-0.

"That was our best performance of the year, against our best opponent of the year," said Pinsent.

UNB will now prepare to go on the road.

"We know the work that we've got to put in," said Lopez. "We know the level of competition this season, so there's lots of work from here to the end."

The Varsity Reds visit Dalhousie, on Friday, in a 7:15PM start, while Acadia hosts the St. Mary's Huskies.