Jordan Brown wins a race to the puck behind her net on Friday (TWU Athletics photo).
Jordan Brown wins a race to the puck behind her net on Friday (TWU Athletics photo).
January 9, 2026

Slow start costs Griffins as they fall 4-1 to Spartans in first game after break

Box Score

Jefferson Hagen
MacEwan Athletics

LANGLEY, B.C. – A slow start is understandable in a team's first game back from the break.

The problem is while both the visiting Griffins and Trinity Western Spartans were in the same boat – each playing their first game of the second semester – the shots favoured the home side 16-4 in the first period on Friday afternoon.

The score was 2-0 after 20 and the Spartans were well on their way to a 4-1 victory over the Griffins.

"They just seemed a little bit more ready to go from the start," said Griffins head coach Chris Leeming. "They put a little bit of pressure and played physical with us. It took us a little while to respond. 

"The last 10-12 minutes of the game we played the way we can and we've just got to do that for 60 minutes tomorrow and not wait."

With the result, Trinity Western improved to 9-9-1 and moved a full nine points ahead of the Griffins (4-13-2) for the final playoff spot in the Canada West's West Division.

Sadie Isfeld and Chloe Reid gave the Spartans all the scoring they would need in the first period, but they added one more in the second (Ashley Breitkreuz) and went up 4-0 7:17 into the third on Keelyn Pisani's tally before the Griffins woke up.

Sasha Malenfant charged the net and converted Jordana Jones' great sauce pass from the corner with 5:41 left to break up the shutout bid from Spartans' goalie Kate Fawcett, who finished with 20 saves.

Lindsey Johnson stopped 34 of 38 as she gave the Griffins a chance, but they just didn't have enough on Friday.

"Our whole part of our game plan was getting pucks and bodies to the net," said Leeming. "When we started to do that the second half of the third period, we had them on their heels, were putting pressure on and generated scoring chances. That's something we want to build off of.

"With a little bit more preparation and playing our game, we're going to be in a good situation tomorrow."

The Griffins will aim to rebound in the rematch on Saturday (2 p.m., Canada West TV).