VANCOUVER – The UBC Thunderbirds put their offence in full throttle Saturday night, finishing their opening weekend with a dominating 8-0 victory over the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns at Thunderbird Stadium.
Controlling the game right from the kickoff, UBC found the back of the Lethbridge net with two early goals from third-year defender
Paul Clerc (Coquitlam, BC) in the 22
nd and 23
rd minute. A strong defensive force for the Thunderbirds last night against Calgary, tonight Clerc showed that he is a serious threat for opposing defenders as well, expertly redirecting both free kicks taken by teammate
Navid Mashinchi (Port Moody, BC).
Coach
Mike Mosher was quick to praise Clerc's efforts. “Paul established himself last year as a top notch player in this conference. He's very solid at the back but he can also score goals off set pieces, so it's just another added element in our entire attack," said Mosher.
Two other key players and goal scorers from last night's victory, forward Gagandeep Dosanjh (Abbotsford, BC) and captain
Marco Visintin (Vancouver, BC), combined for another three goals in quick succession to give the Thunderbirds a comfortable 5-0 lead heading into halftime. Dosanjh took a pass from
Daniel Gazzola (Burnaby, BC) while on a breakaway and blasted the ball past Lethbridge goalie Tyler Boast (Calgary, AB) in the 33rd minute. This was almost immediately followed by well-placed free kick from Visintin in the 35
th. Dosanjh then put another shot in from the box on a 2 on 1 with Maschinchi just seconds before the whistle.
The Thunderbirds offence showed no signs of letting up as the second half continued much like the first 45 minutes.
Milad Mehrabi (Coquitlam, BC) scored his first goal of the season in the 50
th minute. This prompted a Lethbridge substitution in goal, but unfortunately for the Pronghorns, the UBC attack troubled him much the same. New transfer
Reynold Stewart (Delta, BC) scored his first goal in a Thunderbirds uniform just minutes later, tapping in a rebound off a free kick. UBC added yet another goal in the 86
th minute, this time a brilliant header from second-year midfielder
Kent O'Connor (Langley, BC), also getting his first goal and point of the season.
It was an easy night in net for UBC keeper
Luke O'Shea, who faced just 6 shots from the Pronghorns. Nothing would get past him as he recorded his second shutout in as many games to start the 2012 regular season.
UBC head coach
Mike Mosher wants his team to take each game at a time. Mosher suggested that “there's little minor things that we can clean up and do better”. Believing that the Thunderbirds could have capitalized on more chances against Calgary last night, Mosher also added that “the message to the guys today was not to be complacent and to go out and really dictate the pace of the game. Part of the team talk was just to focus on finishing and it was fantastic to get five in the first half.”
UBC will be back in action next week for a Friday night road game against University of the Fraser Valley. They'll return to Thunderbird Stadium the following night for an important match up against rivals and reigning CIS Champions, the University of Victoria. Kickoff will be at 8 p.m. in what is sure to be an exciting game and quite possibly a preview of the Canada West Final.
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