VANCOUVER - Despite a tightly contested opening, Friday's rugby match between the University of Alberta Pandas and the UBC Thunderbirds ended very one-sided. The visiting Pandas left Vancouver with a 36-3 victory after 80 minutes.
T-Birds head coach, Lesley McKenzie, identified attitude as the key to UBC's loss.
“The first ten minutes were good. We put ourselves in a good position to be in contention for the rest of the game,” McKenzie elaborated. “Our scrums were dominant – we stole four in the first 16 minutes. But I think a little nonchalance around the breakdown and on the wings took that momentum away. And we let them take it away.”
Fullback Karlee Carbert did the lion's share of the damage for Alberta, running in three of the Pandas' six tries. She started one of those runs by kicking from inside her own 22, beating UBC defenders to the ball at half, and finished strong running untouched to the endzone.
Center Marlene Nedved also scored two Alberta tries, while prop Stacie Becker ran one in to open the scoring.
U of A cycled the ball well, making impressive passes even while being tackled, leaving the Thunderbirds scrambling to catch up.
UBC's lone score came on a penalty goal by scrumhalf
Darcy Patterson at the nine minute mark.
Despite the final score, McKenzie noted some bright spots for the Blue and Gold.
“I think we finished the game on a positive note,” said McKenzie. “In the last ten minutes, we were more in control of the ball, we were a little more focused, and a little more deliberate with what we put together on attack, as well as with our spacing and realignment on defense.”
But McKenzie made sure that her overall sentiment came through clearly.
“I wasn't impressed with the middle 60 minutes, though,” she concluded.
Scoring Summary
1. 4:00 UA Becker – try (no convert) 5-0
2. 9:00 UBC Patterson – penalty goal 5-3
3. 23:00 UA Nedved – try (no convert) 10-3
4. 26:00 UA Carbert – try (Strande) 17-3
5. 29:00 UA Carbert – try (Strande) 24-3
6. 57:00 UA Nedved – try (no convert) 29-3
7. 69:00 UA Carbert – try (Waldie) 36-3
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