SASKATOON – Jasmin Dhanda's (Surrey, B.C.) first-half goal stood up as the game winner as the UBC Thunderbirds advanced to Sunday's Canada West Championship with a 1-0 victory over the Calgary Dinos.
 
Dhanda took a through ball in the box from Shayla Chorney (Vancouver) in the 36th minute and put a quick move on a Dino defender who slipped on the play. Calgary keeper Samantha Chang-Foidl got a piece of Dhanda's hard low shot to the bottom right corner, but the ball had enough momentum to get to the back of the net.
 
Calgary would respond with immediate pressure. A hard drive on goal by Lauren Vernon was neatly saved by T-Bird keeper Olivia de Goede (Victoria, B.C.) diving to her right to cover up the bottom corner of the net.
 
UBC would survive the late first half pressure to head to halftime with the one-goal lead.
 
Calgary came into the second half looking to keep the pressure on the top seed from the West Division. A cross in the first minute of the half just missed Dinos striker Dominica Wronski's head with the keeper out of the net to challenge. Just seconds later, Calgary would gain control again when Maddison Fritze sent a shot on net from the top of the box. Again de Goede was up to the task to preserve the Thunderbirds lead.
 
UBC nearly doubled its lead in the 62nd minute. Amelia Crawford (Richmond, B.C.) broke in behind the defence. Chang Foidl came out hard to challenge and got just enough of Crawford's shot to redirect it wide of the net.
 
Calgary continued to press for the equalizer late in the match, but could not generate any dangerous scoring chances. UBC stayed cool under pressure and maintained possession to run out the clock.
 
The Thunderbirds move on to Sunday's championship match at 1:15 p.m. CT against the winner of Saturday's second semifinal between the Saskatchewan Huskies and Trinity Western Spartans. Calgary still has a chance to make the CIS Championship in the bronze medal game on Sunday at 11 a.m.

UBC is proud to host the 2015 CIS Women's Soccer National Championship, November 12 -15. Learn more.