Trinity Western fans stretched their soaked team scarves up towards the dark, wet skies after their Spartans claimed their fourth Gladys Bean Memorial Trophy, symbolizing the Canadian Interuniversity Sport women's soccer championship on Sunday night.
The Spartans outlasted the Queen's Gaels 1-0 (4-2 in penalty kicks) after 120 minutes of goal-less regulation playing time on a wet Centennial Stadium field at the University of Victoria.
Spartans captain Colleen Webber clinched it with the fourth and final penalty shot, drilling the ball low and hard to Queen's keeper Madison Tyrell's right. It came after Stephanie Chin, Alessandra Oliverio and Natalie Boyd had also scored from the penalty spot for TWU.
Tyrell made game-saving stops off Chin (point blank) and Natalie Boyd in the two extra 15-minute halves.
Riley Filion also sailed one just wide of Tyrell's net in the dying seconds of the first extra session.
Trinity's Krista Gom-meringer, the Canada West rookie of the year, also had her volley sail wide on a glorious scoring chance in the 75th minute.
"I think our nerves caused us to play a little bit out of how we normally play, but credit to my kids for hanging in there," said Spartans head coach Graham Roxburgh, who becomes the only coach in CIS history to win four CIS women's titles, following up on 2004, '08 and '09 crowns.
Spartans keeper Kristen Funk's save off Jessie De Boer, right after Queen's midfielder Alexis McKinty hit the crossbar in penalty shots, ended the Gaels' run at an unprecedented third straight CIS title.
"It wasn't the prettiest of games but it was a tremendous battle," said Queen's head coach Dave McDowel. "There was tremendous tackling by both teams and a few chances both ways, but penalties are penalties."
Filion and Mikyla Kay had scored on the first two Queen's penalty kicks.
Funk, of TWU, and De Boer were named players of the game in the championship final.
Spartans' defender Jennifer Castillo was announced as the tournament's most valuable player.
UVic Vikes defender Amy Lawrence and midfielder Jaclyn Sawicki were among the tournament all-stars. They were joined by Funk, Castillo, Boyd, Vanessa Kovacs and Alicia Tesan of Trinity Western; Ottawa's Gillian Baggott; and De Boer, McKinty and Breanna Burton of Queen's.
The two finalists have now won the last five women's CIS championships - Queen's in 2010-11 and Trinity Western in 2008-09 and now 2012.
The Vikes had defeated the Ottawa Gee-Gees 4-1 in penalty kicks after a scoreless regulation time in the bronze-medal game earlier in the afternoon as Canada West teams took gold and bronze in the eight-team tournament.
