MONTREAL – The UBC Thunderbirds are CIS women's soccer champions again, winning their second consecutive national title and fourth in team history Sunday with a 5-0 victory over the Ottawa Gee-Gees in the gold medal game at McGill University's Molson Stadium.

Senior striker Ros Hicks (North Vancouver) gave another remarkable performance and the T-Birds' high-octane attack proved too much for a young Ottawa squad as UBC completed what was arguably the most dominant performance ever at a women's soccer championship tournament.

After a tight and tentative opening 10 minutes, Hicks took control, first getting on the end of a well-placed Amber Brownlee (Kelowna) cross and lofting a beautiful touch volley over the head of Ottawa keeper Laura McDonough in the 14th minute, then chesting down a Sarah Regan (North Vancouver) pass at the top of the box and firing home a 15-yard strike to make it 2-0 in the 18th minute.

The T-Birds played on a different plane from that point forward. Regan expanded the lead to 3-0 at the 59-minute mark, cutting back inside on an Ottawa defender and curling a shot inside the far post. Hicks completed the hat trick in the 62nd minute and Janine Kerr (North Vancouver) notched her first of the tournament in the 78th to round out the scoring.

"We were definitely ready for this tournament," said Hicks, who finished the three-game showing with six goals and four assists and was named championship MVP. "Each individual played to their strength and we really came together at the right time. It just feels awesome."

The T-Birds, who defeated Atlantic champion Cape Breton 4-0 and Quebec finalist Laval 5-1 in pool play, set an all-time CIS record for goals scored in a championship with 14 and a new mark for goal differential at plus-13. They also closed out the season on a 16-game undefeated streak (15-0-1) after starting 2-2-0, outscoring opponents 63-2 over that stretch. The five-goal margin in the championship final was the second widest in CIS history.

"This was one heck of a team," said UBC head coach Dick Mosher, who won his seventh national soccer championship and second as bench boss of the women's program in 18 seasons combined. "I'm just amazed at the intensity these girls developed over the year. They wanted it so badly and came out with fire this weekend."

Hicks was joined on the tournament all-star team by fellow graduating all-Canadian Regan, goalkeeper Kelly McNabney (Pickering, Ont.) and defender Candace Lovestad (Nanaimo). 

"I feel very fortunate and happy to go out like this," said Hicks. "To win back-to-back titles and then be recognized as MVP in your final year is pretty special."

Regan, the CIS player of the year and league's leading goal scorer in 2003, ends her post-secondary career with five straight national titles after winning three with Capilano College before coming to UBC.

UBC is the first school in CIS history to win four women's soccer titles and the second to win back-to-back championships. The T-Birds arrive in Vancouver at midnight Sunday on AC 181.