VICTORIA - Jessie Candlish converted a crisp pass from Canada West MVP Julia Ignacio in the 18-yard-box, scoring the game-winning goal just seven minutes into overtime to lift the Alberta Pandas to a 2-1 win over the UBC Thunderbirds at Centennial Stadium in the first of two Canada West semifinals.
BOX SCORE
Alberta will play the Trinity Western Spartans in the Canada West championship on Saturday at 7:15 p.m.
Candlish (Edmonton) was wide open after Ignacio deked her way past two Thunderbirds defenders, then slid the ball five yards for the easy conversion.
Shalla Kadima (Edmonton) also scored for the Pandas, late in the 42nd minute, before UBC's
Taryn Lim (Richmond, B.C.) tied it on a pass from
Shayla Chorney (Vancouver) in the 82nd minute.
With the win, Alberta clinches a spot in the CIS nationals beginning Thursday at the University of Toronto.
Junior netminder Kelti Biggs (Spruce Grove, Alta.) made six saves and said her team rallied after letting up a late goal in regulation time.
"It's been a long season and a long hard fought battle with these guys. With UBC, it always comes down to the end," said Biggs. "It just feels great to come out on top, especially to have them come back after we had the lead."
Biggs was brilliant for most of the match. Twice she came off her line to take away great scoring opportunities from UBC. She slid out to a 50-50 ball against UBC star midfielder
Janine Frazao in overtime.
Biggs said her team would begin to focus immediately on Saturday night's Canada West championship game.
"We were in this position a couple of years ago and we didn't come out on top in the conference but made nationals," Biggs said. "We need to come out on top to get the higher seed to make it easier for us at nationals."
"It ranks pretty high in my career list. The adrenaline you get from a game like this, with how hard your team is fighting, you have to fight hard for them, and make it worth it for them," she said. "Julia, tonight's MVP, she's done a lot for our team this year, she drives so hard to the net, helps us to score in overtime, it feels pretty good."
The teams battled valiantly throughout the game. UBC carried most of the early pressure.
Thunderbirds freshman
Jasmin Dhanda (Surrey, B.C.) created several early chances for UBC including a beautiful cross that sailed just over the head of Lim. But despite carrying the play, Alberta earned the only first-half goal courtesy of Kadima, a fifth-year senior.
Just a few minutes after her teammate Rebecca Brandt (Edmonton) was narrowly caught offside inside the 18-yard-box, Kadima capitalized on a favourable bounce off a UBC defender, one-timing a volley into the top corner in the 43rd minute.
Alberta led 1-0 at the half.
In the second half, Biggs robbed Frazao and Dhanda in the second half before Lim's wonderful header tied the score at 1-1.
Not to be outdone, UBC netminer
Alyssa Williamson (Langley, B.C.) made two key saves of her own in the final five minutes to keep score tied 1-1 and force extra time.
SCORING SUMMARY
               1             2             OT1       OT2       --F
UBCÂ Â Â Â Â Â 0Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 1Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 0Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 0Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â --1
UAÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 1Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 0Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 1Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 0Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â --2
Alberta-Kadima (42), Candlish (98); UBC-Lim (82)
