VICTORIA, B.C. – The inaugural Legends Cup matchup between UBC and Victoria was absolute gridlock until the 78th minute when Danielle Steer scored to give the Thunderbirds women's soccer team the win to open the 2018 Canada West season Saturday at Centennial Stadium in the provincial capital.
 
Second-year forward Steer tapped in a ball from senior Margaret Hadley late in the game to secure the win. The second half saw lots of possession for UBC, ranked seventh in all of U SPORTS, and the visitors were finally rewarded with an Emma Peckinpaugh free kick that found Hadley, who smartly got around a UVic defender and slipped a pass to Steer to break the deadlock. 
 
Third-year keeper Emily Moore was outstanding between the pipes putting up five saves. The win lifts the T-Birds to a 1-0 record in the Canada West and gives UBC the first two points of the Legends Cup race, a new, annual head-to-head series between both schools across six sports.
 
"We have so much respect for UVic," stated UBC head coach Jesse Symons of the eighth-ranked squad in the nation. "I think every game we have played now has been one goal over the past few years. It's that close. They hit the inside of the post and then we get a goal just on a free kick that we fought through and got. Our games are so close that I think we have to fight for it."
 

Season opener ends with a 1-0 win over UVIC vikes!!!! Free kick by @epecks14, assist by @margaret_hadley & GOAL by @daniellesteer_ #hyped #gobirds ?????? pic.twitter.com/P4EWGdZT3k

— UBC Women's Soccer (@ubcwsoc) September 1, 2018

The Thunderbirds' best chance in the opening half came in the 17th minute when second-year midfielder Tess McCrae sent a rocket from 25 yards out that forced star Victoria goalkeeper Puck Louwes to reach back and tip the ball just over the cross bar. UBC's Steer and Michelle Jang each forced dangerous opportunities towards Louwes but the Vikes' back line, led by Carrothers, continued to be stingy.
 
The Vikes closed out the opening half with a flurry of chances. In the 41st minute, midfielder Aishy Shinomura cut the ball inside and blasted a left-footed shot from close range that was well scooped up by Moore. Moments later, Rachel Baird had a free kick from the corner of the 18-yard-box. The ball floated dangerously in to the box and fell nicely for Caitlin Millham, whose near-post shot was saved again by Moore. Just before half time Baird skipped a long-range shot towards goal but the third-year T-Birds keeper saw it the whole way to keep the game scoreless at the break.
 

In the second half, the Vikes got a much-needed energy boost from 5-foot-3 striker Trinity Kettyls. The Victoria native created two dangerous opportunities in the goal area and in the 73rd minute set up team mate Avneet Rai for their most quality chance. Kettyls controlled a bouncing ball and laid the ball in to the middle of the park where Rai blasted a low shot that clanged off the inside of the post and out of Moore's cage.
 
The Vikes press hard until the end when Rai blasted a high shot on goal in time added. Moore had to make an out-stretched save to secure the shutout victory.
 
The game saw four UBC players – left back Sophie Damian (the T-Birds' player of game), midfielder Melissa Bustos, and Sabrina Anderson and Michelle Jang up front – get their first action in a U SPORTS regular season matched.
 
"We have so many exciting players that can change games," said Symons. "It was great to see four players get their first action for UBC.
 
"I felt Rachel Kordysz and Tess McRae controlled the match in midfield today. They held their shape and really moved the ball well."
 
Both Victoria and UBC will face Fraser Valley and Trinity Western on the road next weekend.