The Matchup
Fresh off a 3-2 comeback win over the Alberta Pandas, the UBC Thunderbirds women's soccer team will face the Manitoba Bisons in their first matchup of the Canada West Select Six on Thursday, November 3 in Langley at 4:00pm (PT).
Last Action
After switching from defence to striker for the second half of last Saturday's game against Alberta, Aman Shergill netted three goals in under sixteen minutes. The hat-trick propelled the 'Birds to victory after trailing 2-0 for the opening 53-minutes of the match.
Despite being outshot 27-6 by the Dinos last weekend, the Bisons held on for the narrow 1-0 win. Rebecca Martin scored the Bisons' lone goal, while goalkeeper Madison Wilford kept her team alive with an impressive 13-save shutout.
By the Numbers
4 - Shots-on-goal from UBC in their playoff match against Alberta. Three of those found the back of the net thanks to Shergill, but it is clear that the 'Birds need to create more scoring chances.
2 - Goals allowed by the Thunderbirds in the opening 33-minutes of last Saturday's game. Applying offensive pressure early on against the Bisons will be important.
Players to Watch
Aman Shergill (D, #7) - Who else? Her unassisted hat-trick has her named the U Sports Athlete of the Week. Her full-field versatility and scoring ability will certainly make a her a key part of Thursday's game.
Jasmin Dhanda (F, #9) - Though she only managed a single shot-on-goal last weekend, her regular season record shows just how talented the senior forward is. Her incredible 81 shots topped CIS, and her 18 points placed her third Canada-wide.
Coach's Take
After only managing four shots-on-goal last weekend, UBC head coach Jesse Symons is confident his team can reignite the offensive strengths they possessed throughout the regular season.
"We're well aware we didn't generate as many shots as we did during the regular season. Things get tighter in the post season and we need to have a [full team] effort," he said.
"Our focus tomorrow is to manage the game from the outset" said Symons. "We will have make sure to control a few of Manitoba's key, dangerous players."
