A pair of goals from both
Rachael Sawer (North Vancouver, BC) and
Janine Frazao (Port Moody, BC) powered the No.5-ranked UBC Thunderbirds past the Manitoba Bisons by a score of 4-0 Saturday night at Thunderbird Park.
UBC (3-0-0) was on the offensive from the opening whistle putting pressure on Manitoba (0-3-0) with their speed down the wing and execution of quality passes.
The T-Birds opened the scoring in the 18th minute off a corner kick by Sawer that led to a melee inside the 6-yard box, Frazao gathered the loose ball and hammered it high over the keeper into the top of the net.
The goal was the third-year striker's second of the weekend but she wasn't finished yet. Just before the break
Lisa Furutani (North Vancouver, BC) gained possession at the edge of the area and sent a neat cross in front of the Bisons' goal that Frazao headed past Manitoba goalkeeper Chloe Werle.
The late goal was a key in how the rest of the match took shape according to UBC head coach Mark Rogers.
"Our late first half goal came because we took our chances a lot better than we did yesterday and that orced them to chase the game in the second half," said Rogers.
UBC lost two key players to injury, centre backs
Alisha Penev (Burnaby, BC) and
Kelly Cook (Maple Ridge, BC), in yesterday's contest against Regina but the back line was no worse for wear as they continually thwarted the Manitoba attack.
"Those two girls (Penev and Cook) have been rocks for us but the team was able to rally and get the clean sheet despite their absence," said Rogers.
Sawer put the game out of reach with a brace of her own potting both goals in less than six minutes.
The first came off a free kick in the 56th minute when Sawer surprised the Bisons by taking a direct free from five yards outside the penalty area. Sawer struck with pace and squeezed the ball between the post and a stunned Werle.
Sawer then made the most of a
Natalie Hirayama (Richmond, BC) steal deep in the Manitoba end. The fifth-year veteran and team captain made no mistake delivering a perfect ball past the Bison back line to Sawer who did well to send the ball under a diving Werle.
Manitoba threatened late in the contest, after numerous subs from the home side, but UBC keeper
Alyssa Williamson (Langley, BC) kept her composure and smothered any opportunities to preserve her third clean sheet of the season.
The win capped a perfect weekend for the T-Birds who sit in a tie for first place in the Canada West with Alberta on nine points.
Manitoba visits Regina next weekend for a pair of matches in a battle of teams each in search of their first win of the season.
Next up for the T-Birds is a pair of tough matches in the prairies. UBC first visits Saskatchewan (2-1-0) on Saturday before heading to Edmonton to face the No. 3-ranked Pandas (3-0-0) on Sunday with the winner likely to find themselves alone atop the conference standings. Kickoff for both matches is scheduled for 11:00 a.m.
