The University of British Columbia Athletics

VANCOUVER – The No. 10-ranked UBC Thunderbirds battled the top-ranked defending CIS women's soccer champion Trinity Western Spartans to a scoreless draw to open the 2013 Canada West season on Saturday in Vancouver.

BOX SCORE
 
The game on David Sidoo Field at Thunderbird Stadium featured the regular season debut of UBC head coach Andrea Neil, who returned to her alma mater after one of the greatest playing careers in Canadian soccer history.

"I'm proud of a collective effort of 25 players," said Neil. "What a great matchup and an opportunity the first game in to measure ourselves against the best."

"It's a tough challenge and it was great to see the players stick together throughout." 
Trinity Western had a slight edge in the run of play but UBC, led by goalkeeper Alyssa Williamson (Langley, BC) and newly converted centre back Taryn Lim (Richmond, BC). was impressive in holding the Spartans' attack at bay.

"She's blessed and cursed with the fact she can play multiple positions," said Neil when asked about Lim's performance. "I asked her if she wouldn't mind taking the reins back there and she fully embraced it.  She's been a centre back before in her career so it's not like it was a brand new clean slate but her performance stands for itself."
 
UBC's best chance came in the 57th minute when Shayla Chorney (Vancouver, BC), positioned at the top of the penalty area, headed a pass high and wide of the Trinity Western net.
 
The visitors had two glorious chances, one at the end of each half, to get on the scoreboard.
 
While the Thunderbirds controlled the latter half of the first 45 minutes, the Spartans broke through the UBC defence just before halftime as Krista Gommeringer headed a ball off the woodwork.
 
She was streaking towards the net to the goalkeeper's right and headed a cross at a sharp angle past Williamson, but the ball bounced along the goal line and eventually off post on the goalie's left side.

Williamson managed to recover and gather possession of the loose ball to end off the first half.
 
Then with the last shot of the game, Vanessa Kovacs' knocked a ball over the crossbar to ensure both teams would leave the pitch with a season-opening point.
 
Williamson made one save in the game while Trinity Western goalkeeper Rachel Bedek stopped two UBC shots, both in the first half.
 
Both teams had two corner kicks, while Trinity Western held a 6-5 advantage in shots towards the net after UBC outshot the visiting team 4-1 in the first half.

"They've been building together as a group, coming together as a team," remarked Neil about her squad's development. "That's really important. This is not an individual sport and little by little, every training session, even if it was a step backwards, became a step forwards because you have to learn from those lessons."
 
UBC's next game will take place on Friday, Sept. 13, when the Thunderbirds (0-0-1) host the Fraser Valley Cascades at 5 p.m. to kick off the 2013 Homecoming Weekend.
 
The T-Birds will then host the Victoria Vikes on Saturday night at 7:30 p.m.
 
Trinity Western (0-0-1) will face the Vikes on Friday before travelling to Chilliwack for a game on Saturday against Fraser Valley.
 
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