The fast-growing chemistry between forwards Taylor Richardson and Mikael Mainella was front and centre for the University of the Fraser Valley men's soccer team as they earned a 3-2 win over the UNBC Timberwolves in non-conference action Sunday afternoon at MRC Sports Complex.

Richardson, a fourth-year transfer from Douglas College, tallied two goals, sophomore Mainella scored once, and both players picked up assists on the other's goals as the Cascades improved to 2-0 vs. university competition in the preseason.

Anthony Preston and Connor Lewis replied for the T-Wolves.

"With their athleticism, they feed off of each other," UFV head coach Tom Lowndes said of Richardson and Mainella. "They've got some things they need to work on with their back to goal, but with their raw power and pace, you're always going to cause teams problems. 

"I thought they were really, really good at times . . . especially Mikael. He was a real handful for them all day today. He's not a player that I would want to play against – he's always there, he's at your toes, looking for his opportunities. He took his goal really well in the first half, and caused a lot of problems."

The Cascades started slowly on Sunday afternoon, and the Timberwolves capitalized on a UFV turnover 10 minutes in with Preston finding the back of the net on the counterattack.

The hosts, though, found their footing, and equalized as Mainella squared the ball for an on-rushing Richardson, who chipped it over UNBC keeper Daniel Zadravec. 

Late in the first half, UFV went ahead on a lightning-quick counterattack – keeper Jackson Cowx sent a long ball forward, Richardson soared to flick it ahead, and Mainella ran onto it and finished into the bottom right corner.

UNBC drew even in the second half as Dominic Parris's slick pass found Lewis in space at the top of the box, and he finished in clinical fashion. 

Richardson's second of the match stood as the game-winner, though – the ball fell to him off Mainella's long throw-in, and his shot went off UNBC keeper Sukhman Singh (who had come on at the half) and off the post on its way in.

"It won't go down as a classic," Lowndes noted with a wry chuckle. "I thought it was a good exercise – it gave us an opportunity to try some things and give some guys minutes. I thought we were lucky to be up at half. We were very lethargic, and it took us a while for us to get into the game for whatever reason. 

"Towards the end of the first half, we looked a little bit better. Second half, we looked stronger and we looked like we had a bit more fight amongst us. Some good performances from guys coming back from injuries – I thought Will Stuart was good, and Sahil Dhindsa came in and gave us some energy."

The UFV soccer teams open Canada West conference play with home games at Rotary Stadium, Sept. 17 and 19.