VANCOUVER – The UBC Thunderbirds looked ready and able to get back to the national title game in two exhibition tune-ups at Thunderbird Park on Tuesday.  UBC beat the Western Washington Vikings 3-1 in the evening after taking care of the Langara Falcons 4-1 earlier in the afternoon.
 
UBC 3 – Western Washington 1
 
Against the Western Washington, a team that went undefeated in 2016 and won the NCAA Division II championship, UBC head coach Jesse Symons took the chance to show off his three forward attack, featuring seniors Jasmin Dhanda and Aman Shergill, along with freshman Danielle Steer.
 
The game was split into three forty minute periods and despite the 'Birds being out shot and out chanced by a substantial margin in the first stanza they created three goals, which turned out to be all the offence UBC needed in the 3-1 victory.


 
UBC's first goal was created in the 13th minute when senior centreback Brienna Shaw found Shergill in front of the Vikings' net. Shergill's shot attempt careened off a WWU defender and into the net.
 
"Everyone looks really good and we've had some really intense practices," said Shaw, the former national champion and All-Canadian for the Queen's Gaels. She has returned to UBC to pursue a Master's degree in engineering and is already stabilizing the T-Bird back line in this her fifth and final year of U SPORTS eligibility. "All the seniors are doing well and all the rookies who've come in have looked really great. It was a good game where we really came together as a team and were making some nice passes."

A good performance vs reigning NCAA D2 National champs Western Washington - goals by @ashergill13 (2) & @JasminDhanda in 3-1 win

— UBC Women's Soccer (@ubcwsoc) August 23, 2017

 
UBC struck in the 16th minute when Shergill was fouled in the penalty area. The referee pointed to the spot and Shergill stepped up and calmly converted, making it 2-0 'Birds.
 
In the 36th minute it was Dhanda's turn to hit the score sheet. The savvy striker was flying down the centre of the field and looked like she would try and push a through ball into Shergill. Instead she drove a bending rocket of shot over the Vikings keeper and into the top left corner of the goal from approximately 30 yards out.


 
Sophia Kallas rounded out the score sheet and gave Western Washington something to cheer about, when she rose up and headed one home in the 95th minute.
 
The 'Birds line-up looked deep in the game, as both Rachel Jones and Jasmine Mander looked very composed in the UBC midfield.
 
"We were defending for the first little bit, but then we found our feet and started really getting through them and finishing our attacks," said Jones. "Despite being out shot in the first part of the game we were able to hit the score sheet."


 
UBC goalkeeper Marlee Maracle looked poised in the nets, making several key saves in the early going when the game was scoreless.
 
UBC 4 – Langara 1
 
Emma Cunningham scored twice, while Liesanne Musico and Margaret Hadley added singles, as UBC took care of their cross-town counterpart, the Langara Falcons.