Box Score
EDMONTON – The #5 University of Alberta Golden Bears completed the weekend sweep over the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns, holding the opposition scoreless in two games, with a 4-0 victory on Sunday afternoon at Foote Field.
Senior defenders Scott Gilroy and Eddy Sidra as well as sophomore defender Niko Saler each got their first tallies of the season while fourth-year forward Marcus Johnstone extended his goal-scoring streak to three games, the Bears remaining undefeated with a 4-0-1 record.
With the loss, Lethbridge drops to 1-4 on the season.
Gilroy opened the scoring in the 28th minute when, to the amazement of the fans on hand, he sailed a 40-yard shot perfectly into the top right corner of the Pronghorn net.
Just over a minute later, team-leading scorer Johnstone lobbed a 35-yard shot from the sideline, third-year goalkeeper Tyler Boast mistiming his jump so that the ball went over his head and into the far corner for the 2-0 lead.
Fourth-year Peter Desmond taking the reins in the Lethbridge goal soon after did not make much difference for the visitors, unfortunately, the momentum continuing to be on Alberta's side as the Bears continued to maintain possession in the offensive zone and prevent a shot on goal by the Pronghorns in the other direction.
A confident Johnstone tried a back-heel touch off a Tolu Esan cross in the 53rd minute yet it was Sidra's one-timer conversion of an Esan cross six minutes later that improved the lead to 3-0.
Saler, the 2012 CIS Rookie of the Year, rounded out the scoring in injury time when he curled a free kick over the defending wall and into the near top corner.
The Bears head west next weekend to encounter the Trinity Western Spartans and the UBC Thunderbirds while Lethbridge returns home to host a two-game series against the Mount Royal Cougars.
Game notes: Johnstone's tally was his 25th career conference goal as a Golden Bear, leaving him only one goal away from tying former Bear Brett Colvin (2007-11)…Johnstone also now claims sole possession of fourth all-time in Canada West conference goal-scoring and is one point away from catching Josh Northey's (Saskatchewan, 2007-11) mark of 37 points.
