VANCOUVER – The No. 4 ranked UBC Thunderbirds dominated the visiting Thompson Rivers WolfPack on Saturday, earning a 6-1 win in the Canada West regional playoffs match. With the win, the T-Birds not only advance to the Canada West Select Six next weekend, they also earn a first-round bye in the competition.  

This evening, the T-Birds' offensive onslaught came from six different scorers, as Taylor Shannik (Delta, B.C.), Aman Shergill (Surrey, B.C.), Madison Guy (Langley, B.C.), Amelia Crawford (Richmond, B.C.), and Janna Speed (Vancouver), and Nicole Sydor (Delta, B.C.) all got on the board for the Blue and Gold. UBC goalkeeper Olivia de Goede (Victoria, B.C.) was terrific in one half of action, making a couple of spectacular saves to help the 'Birds retain control of the contest.  

De Goede didn't have to wait long to make an impact, as just three minutes into the game, a loose ball made it's way deep into the UBC 18-yard box. WolfPack forward Brianna Powrie wasted no time firing off a quick volley, but de Goede reacted quickly and snared the attempt before it could cross the goal line.  

At the 12-minute mark, UBC opened the scoring off the head of Shannik. After Amrit Berar (Richmond, B.C.) had an initial cross blocked, the forward did some dogged work to retrieve the ball, and lofted a beautiful ball into the Thompson Rivers scoring area from the left flank. Shannik did the rest, connecting on the header and sending it past WolfPack goalkeeper Taylor Shantz.  

At 16 minutes, Jasmin Dhanda (Surrey, B.C.) almost got UBC's second goal of the evening on a penalty kick, but her attempted was denied by Shantz.  

However, it didn't take long for UBC  to get that second goal. In the 19th minute, after Thompson Rivers was dinged for a hand ball about 20 yards out, Shergill doubled the T-Birds' lead on a bullet of a free kick. The screamer, low and to the right corner of the WolfPack cage, left Shantz with no chance.  

Guy got in on the action at 23 minutes, as the fourth-year defender did well to track a bouncing ball in the Thompson Rivers box and volley it past Shantz. The assist on the play was credited to midfielder Shayla Chorney (Vancouver).  

The WolfPack almost got on the board near the end of the first half, as forward Taylor Miller deliverd an absolute rocket of a free kick, labeled for just under the crossbar. However, de Goede leaped and made a fingertip stop, directing it over the goal.  

Neither side could add to the first-half scoring late, and the two sides went into the break with UBC up by that same 3-0 margin  

The T-Birds added to their lead early in the second half, as Crawford, who subbed on for Berar at the half, buried one in the 48th minute to make it 4-0.  

The 5-0 marker came 19 minutes later, as Speed took a pass down the left flank, and lost her check with a hard cut to the inside of the field. Still 30 yards out from the Thompson Rivers net, the UBC forward let go a wonderful strike that curled and found it's way into the back of the cage.

The WolfPack got on the board in the 82nd minute, as Jaydene Radu raced onto a loose ball in the UBC end. Radu then delivered a great pass into the middle of the pitch, where Danielle Fauteux deftly one-touched the ball past Thunderbird 'keeper Marlee Maracle (Oakville, Ont.).  

It only took four minutes for the 'Birds to get the goal back, as Speed chased down a loose ball that was approaching Shantz. Speed managed to beat Shantz to the ball, and smartly fed back to Sydor, who lobbed it past the out-of-position netminder to make the score 6-1.  

The scoreboard read that same line when the final whistle rang out shortly after.  

After such a one-sided affair, UBC head coach Marisa Kovacs was understandably pleased with her squad's performance.  

"I thought that we came out focused and ready to go," said Kovacs. "Having played this team before, we knew what to expect. I thought we executed our game plan, obviously got the goals going in the first half. Overall, I thought we took care of business. Obviously, you don't like to see conceding that one goal, but we were still pushing. I'm proud of my girls, and now, it's on to the next."  

That "next" is coming up quick, as the Canada West Select Six, a tournament hosted to determine the champions of Canada West, is set to run from November 5-8 at a site to be determined.

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