VANCOUVER – The UBC Thunderbirds clinched the final Canada West women's rugby playoff spot with a 10-5 victory over the Victoria Vikes on Saturday afternoon at Wolfson Field in Vancouver.

Sagal-Maria Kahin and Annabel Arnott scored tries for UBC while Chelsea Marshall got Victoria's only points.

Arnott got the winning try in the 70th minute. UBC won a clean ball out of a ruck inside the Victoria's 15-metre area and worked the ball over to Arnott, who ran the final five metres to the try line.

The UBC defence then had to fight off a determined Victoria team that had three good opportunities to score late in the game as they had possession of the ball just in front of the T-Birds' try line.

Kahin tied the game in the 59th minute, scoring after the Thunderbirds, with the help of a couple of line outs, moved the ball to the Victoria try line.

Victoria had opened the scoring just two minutes after halftime as Marshall took a pass at about the 40-metre mark and burst down the right sideline towards the in-goal area.

It was an explosive start to the second half after a scoreless first 40 minutes.

UBC controlled most of the play in the opening half, not allowing Victoria's offence to cross the 22-metre line until the 33rd minute. Still, the Thunderbirds were unable to take advantage and put any points on the scoreboard.

"We were a bit careless with our opportunities," said UBC head coach Lesley McKenzie.

The Thunderbird also hit the crossbar and goalpost on its two conversion attempts but they did get to celebrate when the final whistle was blown. The win improved UBC's record to 1-3, good enough to clinch the final playoff spot in the league.

"I'm very happy with our scrum," said McKenzie. "I'm very happy with a couple of things that we've got going on in the centres right now, which should give us something to work with at the Canada West championships."

UBC will face the top seed at the Canada West championships, which begin Friday, Oct. 19 in Edmonton, Alberta.

Victoria's university season concludes with losses in all four league games but the team will continue to play locally in the Vancouver Island Rugby Union.

SCORING SUMMARY
42nd minute - Victoria TRY - Chelsea Marshall (conversion failed) - 5-0 Victoria
59th - UBC TRY - Sagal-Maria Kahin (conversion failed) - 5-5
70th - UBC TRY - Annabel Arnott (conversion failed) - 10-5 UBC