VANCOUVER – The Thunderbirds head into their final game of the season with a tough task ahead of them to secure a playoff spot. The good news though is that their fate is in their own hands. They know, heading into this game, that a win by more than seven points will guarantee them the fourth and final postseason spot in the Canada West conference. The University of Victoria are their opponents and they have the advantage of playing at home as well as knowing that a tie or a loss within seven points will see them through into the playoffs, having wrapped up a win of their own in the opening game against Lethbridge.
 
This is the game that UBC would have targeted winning right from the time that the schedule was released and so it arrives as the decisive matchup of their season.

Head coach Maria Gallo alluded to this in her post-match interview after Sunday's game against Calgary: "Historically this is a fixture that we have normally had success in, but Victoria have recruited strongly in recent years, particularly in the last couple of months and we will need to bring it this weekend to get a result."
 
Victoria certainly have been recruiting; the Vikes have 15 players new to the team this year, with 11 having competed provincially over the summer. Some of the key new additions are Jess Neilson at fly-half (yet to feature this season due to injury) and Tiffany Pickett who have both represented Canada at the Under-20 level, as well as BC U18 representatives Allie White, Nicole Crowley and Shelby Pihl. Surprisingly it has been up front that Victoria has had to count on for most of their scoring. Props Jaiden Parhar (3) and Tiffany Pickett (1) have combined for four of the Vikes' five tries so far this season.
 
Just as the fresh faces are creating reverberations around Victoria, it is the new recruits stirring the pot for the T-Birds. Gillian Boag has been the dynamo in the forward pack, making tackles left, right and centre while forcing opposition turnovers and still finding time to make carries of her own. In the backs, it's been Mackenzie Lee providing the momentum; her powerful ball-carrying provides her forwards a target going forward and is a constant assurance of yards when the conditions do not permit putting width on the ball. She picked up an injury against Calgary but will be hoping to be fit this weekend in this must-win encounter.
 
The Thunderbirds will take on the Vikes Saturday at 11:30 a.m. at Wallace Field in Victoria.