VANCOUVER – The two teams to beat in Canada West women's field hockey settled nothing in their long standing rivalry this weekend at Point Grey as the UBC Thunderbirds and UVic Vikes played to consecutive 1-1 ties.
 
"We had a good weekend and we prepared really hard for it," said UBC defender Sophie Jones, who was the stalwart on the stout Thunderbird defence all weekend. "I'm really proud of the girls."
 
On Sunday the teams played a fast paced, back and forth affair. The match culminated with UBC evening the score on a beautifully executed set play off a penalty corner with less than five minutes remaining in play. The hard fought battle would end in a 1-1 deadlock.


 
UBC tied the scoreboard when Thunderbird star midfielder Hannah Haughn played the ball in to Rachel Donohoe who quickly returned the pass to Haughn. Haughn made no mistake with the finish, slotting the ball past UVic keeper Larissa Piva.
 
"We got the call in from our coach and we were wondering whether we should play that," said Donohoe. "But it was successful and it was really exciting to get that tying goal."


 
UVic had jumped out to a 1-0 lead early in the game when Lindsay Cole found a loose ball in the UBC penalty area and fired a high shot to the short side of Thunderbird goalkeeper Gabriella Switzer. Switzer did well to get a piece of the shot, but it squirted up and over her right shoulder and into the UBC goal.
 

A beautiful day in Thunderbird Park! UBC women's field hockey trails #UVIC 1-0 after first half. #GoBirdsGo pic.twitter.com/Swb3AupHLL

— UBC Thunderbirds (@ubctbirds) September 18, 2016

 
"We started out well in the first half and we had good spurts in the second half," said UVic Head Coach Lynne Beecroft. "UBC got on a bit of a role in the second half which we will have to watch for next time we play them."
 
UBC now has a bye week before traveling to Calgary for a two game set versus the Dinos on the first weekend of October. UVic also travels to Calgary this coming weekend to play a two game series with the Dinos.