VANCOUVER – The UBC Thunderbirds women's hockey team swept the Calgary Dinos this weekend, closing the series with a 4-1 win on Saturday afternoon. Thanks to a tremendous team effort this road trip, the Thunderbirds are now riding a season-high four-game winning streak with a healthy 4-2-0 record. With the weekend losses, the Dinos fall to 1-5-0.
 
UBC earned both of its weekend victories thanks to a full-team effort. Forward Kathleen Cahoon (Calgary) led the offensive charge with three goals, Nicole Saxvik (North Vancouver) netted two, and Stephanie Schaupmeyer (Kelowna, B.C.), Katie Zinn (Coquitlam, B.C.) and Rebecca Unrau (Humboldt, Sask.) each had one. Defence was also key, as fifth-year goaltender Samantha Langford (Pense, Sask.) held sturdy between the pipes, only letting in one shot out of the 28 she faced this series.
 
The first period on Saturday started out slow, as The Thunderbirds were only able to unleash four shots on net and the Dinos five. But Calgary was first to pot a goal; 6:17 into the first, Iya Gavrilova cut to the slot and fired a laser stick-side of Langford, who deflected the puck into the net. With five minutes remaining, however, Melissa Goodwin (Burlington, Ont.) hit Cahoon in front of the net, and the third-year took seized the opportunity to beat the Dinos' rookie goalie Sarah Murray to tie the game at the end of the first.
 
The Thunderbirds notched an additional two goals in the second, resulting from a commanding period spent in the Dinos' zone. Doubling their shots on goal from the first period, UBC turned 11 pucks toward Calgary's net. Saxvik gave UBC the lead at 13:41 in the second as the Dinos were recovering from some tough penalty minutes. The crafty fourth-year beat Murray stick-side for her fifth goal of the year. Fourth-year forward Zinn then stepped into a scramble in front of the net to further the T-Birds' lead 3-1 with three minutes remaining in the second. The goal was Zinn's first of the season, and her second point of the day.
 
After going 0-for-7 on the power play, the Thunderbirds finally took advantage of a penalty shot with thirty seconds left in the game. Unrau, who's breakaway was cut short by Calgary interference, netted the fourth and final goal of the game.
 
UBC looks to continue its upward swing into next weekend, when they host the Manitoba Bisons. The first of the two-game series will take place Friday at 7 p.m. (PT) at the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre.