UNB ends regular season undefeated with 4-0 win over Saint Mary's

(FREDERICTON, N.B.)  The UNB Varsity Reds men's soccer team has finished the regular season undefeated after besting the Saint Mary's Huskies 4-0 on BMO Field.

This is the first time a UNB soccer team has wrapped the regular season without losing a single game since 1979.

The Varsity Reds came out flying. Oliver Jones opened up the scoring at 4:51 when he got one past Huskies' keeper Christian Oxner with an assist from Shea Nordheim.

Just three minutes later, Jones would have the assist for UNB's second goal. Kenneth Van Aarle landed a clean shot and the V-Reds were up 2-0.

In the last minute of the first half, Jones would rack up his second goal of the game and tenth of the season, and UNB would go into halftime with a three goal lead. Jones is second in the AUS for points and goals scored this year. 

UNB would find the way to their fourth and final goal around minute 66. Robert Park had the goal this time with an assist from Marcus Lees. It was Park's first goal of the season.

The Varsity Reds finish first in the AUS for the third consecutive year and will head to the championship next weekend with a first round bye.

Tonight's win was a bittersweet end to the regular season for the team's three graduating players - Nordheim, Aaron McMurray and Alexandre Haiart.

"It's such a good season," Haiart said "I've been lucky enough to captain the side this year and lucky enough to be here for the last five years. We're not done yet, which is nice. But it's a little sad that it's coming to an end."

Haiart says the development of the team over his tenure has been remarkable.

"We were a blue-collar team when I first came. The skill wasn't really there, but we worked our hardest," he said. "And just to see us evolve from great recruiting from [head coach] Miles [Pinsent] and great coaching from him, we've been able to evolve into one of the best technical teams in the country."

The Varsity Reds are currently ranked second in the country by the CIS and have been ranked within the top three teams consistently all season.

Haiart says that's a confidence boost going into championship season and one that he feels accurately represents their play so far. But he's careful to add that when it comes to the playoffs, rankings and records go out the window.

"We're just hoping we can represent UNB as well as we can," he said. "And I know this team is going to do that this year, and they're going to do that next year and the year after. The team's only getting better."

The Varsity Reds play next on Saturday, Nov. 1, in the Subway AUS men's soccer championship being hosted by Memorial in St. John's, Nfld. 

Source: UNB Sports Information