Another six point weekend for our Rovers teams takes us into the second half of the season. This week we visit Evolution FC in Coquitlam.
This week’s opponent
Friday May 30 @ Town Centre Park, Coquitlam.
- Evolution FC Women (3-0-4, 5th) v TSS Rovers Women (3-1-3, 4th), 6:00pm
- Evolution FC Men (2-2-3, 6th) V TSS Rovers Men (5-1-1, 1st), 8:30pm
The League 1 club of the Coquitlam-Metro Ford powerhouse are finding their way in League 1 this season. The women’s team started the season on a good run of form, winning their first three games but forfeiting their opener against us for an illegal substitution late in the match. It was a cruel fate, and they will be looking to atone for that mistake this Friday night. Evolution’s women’s team have turned around a three game losing streak with a crazy 4-3 performance against Burnaby FC last weekend. Evolution field several players from their youths sides and boast some familiar threats in form Whitecaps players Noelle Sather and Joy Kimwemwe and for Rovers Isabella Muzzolini who play in 2022 and 2023 for us.
The Evolution men’s team hasn’t put together a decent run of form yet, and have only taken one point in their last three matches. Frixos Petsas leads their scoring. Former Rover Dominic di Paola, who scored a brace against us in the 2-2 draw in match week 1 has scored two more this season and Evolution have just brought one of our 2022 stars into the fold with centre back Anthony White. Anthony was drafted first overall in the CPL in 2023 and played most of 2023 and two games in 2024 for Vancouver FC in the Canadian Premier League.
Last week’s recap
Match reports by Corey Almond, photos by Tom Ewasiuk.
Women’s Team
Rovers 5-2 Kamloops
TSS Rovers secured a third win of the season as they put five goals past bottom of the table Kamloops United at Swangard Stadium.
They took the lead inside 15 minutes following a quick counterattack on the right that was finished well by Jessica Merk in the middle of the box.
Sophia Faremo doubled their advantage a minute before the interval as Kamloops failed to clear from a corner, allowing Faremo to tidy up the loose ball and fire into the roof of the net.
The game looked to have been put to bed when Elyse Beaudry’s fine solo run finished with a Delana Friesen tap-in for 3-0. But Kamloops responded sharply; Cara Freeman hit a stunner from 30 yards, beating Ashley Strand in the TSS goal to give the away side a minor lifeline.
Both teams had chances as the game progressed, but it was the home side who were awarded a penalty as the clock struck 90. Friesen was brought down close to the byline, allowing Kramer the opportunity to convert the penalty, which she did emphatically to make it four.
Kamloops goalscorer Freeman provided further consolation as she converted another sumptuous effort from just outside the box.
While both teams had now scored in the 90th minute, TSS was eager to have the last laugh. In her debut, substitute Sasha Doleman’s left-footed strike was too fierce for Cassandra De Amaral in the Kamloops goal as an entertaining game finished 5-2.
TSS Rovers: Jessica Merk (14’), Sophia Feramo (44’), Delana Friesen (63’), Sophia Kramer (90’), Sasha Doleman (90+5’)
Kamloops United: Cara Freeman (69’, 90+3’)
Debuts: Willow Bourbonnais, Sasha Doleman.
Men’s Team
Rovers 4-0 Kamloops
TSS Rovers continued their impressive start to the season as they thrashed Kamloops United 4-0 at Swangard Stadium.
The home team asserted themselves from the off, pressurising the Kamloops defence with attackers Koji Poon and Ivan Mejia looking lively.
That pressure finally paid off 31 minutes in thanks to defender Shaya Zarjampour, who fired powerfully into the near post following a neat layoff by Tristan Otuomagie.
Provider Otuomagie turned goalscorer in the 52nd minute as he dispossessed Kamloops keeper Logan Pierce, the ball flying into the empty net for 2-0.
Fifteen minutes later it was three thanks to the in-form number 10, Ivan Mejia. The Colombian hit a superb curling effort leaving Pierce with little chance as the ball flew into the top right corner.
Kian Proctor made it 4-0 a minute from time, capping off a fine team performance as he tidied up following a corner kick scramble.
TSS Rovers: Shaya Zarjampour (31’), Tristan Otuomagie (52’), Ivan Mejia (67’), Kian Proctor (89’)
Parallel 49 Brunch, Beer and Bus on June 29
Our great friends and partners at Parallel 49 would love to create the Ultimate Rovers Away Match Day Experience! On Saturday, June 29, our TSS Rovers make their way to Kinsmen Field on the North Shore to take on Altitude FC in our annual Iron Workers Derby with the Rovers Women kicking off at 1:00 PM and the Rovers Men at 3:30 PM. To make the day even more legendary, Parallel 49 Brewing is offering an exclusive Brunch & Beer Pre-Party at their Street Kitchen starting at 11:00 AM, followed by a party bus to the match and back. For just $25, you get:
- A set menu breakfast
- A pint of Parallel 49 beer
- Round-trip bus transportation to Kinsmen Field
- A Rovers-style community match day experience like no other 🍻⚽️🚌
We need your help to confirm numbers, bus size, and food preferences. Please take 1 minute to let us know your thoughts.
News shorts
The Swanguardians Prideraiser campaign takes off this month. Join our supporters in pledging a dollar amount per goal in support of Rainbow Refugee, an LGBTQ+ organization that helps to settle LGBTQ+ refugees fleeing persecution in their home countries. All goals scored by both teams in June (including this game) will count towards the total. You can join anytime.
All of us At TSS Rovers send our condolences to the Aitchison family who are grieving the loss of Marcey Aitchison. Her children Kat and Euan were long time TSS FC players, and Kat appeared in our WPSL and League 1 sides from 2018 to 2023.
Season standings
Standings in the league mean everything this season as there are no playoffs. The winner of the men’s division will represent League 1 BC in the 2026 Canadian Championship, while the women’s league champion will go to the Interprovincial Championships to play off against the champions of Alberta, Quebec and Ontario for the League 1 Canada national title.
Men’s Division
The top half of the men’s division is tight, with Rovers and Burnaby separated on goal difference. Our victory over Kamloops on Sunday gave us some breathing space over the Interior team. Langley sits fourth, but only four points off the top and with a game in hand.
| Rovers | 16 |
| Burnaby | 16 |
| Kamloops | 13 |
| Langley | 12 |
| Altitude | 9 |
| Unity | 8 |
| Evolution | 8 |
| Whitecaps | 3 |
| Nanaimo | 2 |
Women’s Division
In the women’s division the story this year is the thus far invincible Altitude FC. Unity does have a game in hand on the North Vancouver side, but they suffered their first loss of the season on Saturday dropping valuable points in the 85th minute when former Altitude player Alex Paul scored the winner for Nanaimo.
| Altitude | 21 |
| Unity | 15 |
| Rise | 13 |
| Rovers | 10 |
| Evolution | 9 |
| Langley | 8 |
| Nanaimo | 8 |
| Burnaby | 3 |
| Kamloops | 3 |
Juan de Fuca plate standings
The race for the BC League 1 Club Championship tightens up as the Altitude men dropped points and Unity only managed one point against Nanaimo United. That means TSS Rovers goes into second place, now only four points back of Altitude who are surging on the strength of the women’s team’s invincible season.
| Altitude | 30 |
| Rovers | 26 |
| Unity | 23 |
| Langley | 20 |
| Burnaby | 19 |
| Evolution | 17 |
| Rise/Whitecaps | 16 |
| Kamloops | 16 |
| Nanaimo | 10 |
One last thing
Our own Will Cromack, who coached our men’s team from 2017-2023, including our first Canadian Championship appearance, has a brilliant Substack on the deep realities of coaching, club and culture. Subscribe here: https://williamcromack.substack.com/
