VANCOUVER – The UBC Thunderbirds women's rugby team heads into week two of the Canada West season looking for a second straight win when they welcome the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns to the Gerald McGavin UBC Rugby Centre on Friday, September 14 at 4:00 p.m.
The T-Birds will be hoping to carry any momentum forward following an impressive home-field season opening display last Sunday that saw them engineer a second half comeback, scoring 14 unanswered points to upset the University of Victoria Vikes 26-24.
Even though it was the season opener the intensity level was at mid-season form between the rivals as several big collisions led to players needing medical attention on both sides. In the end UBC received tries from captain
Madison Gold and fullback
Nicole Mallow in the first 40 minutes while back row
Lyric Atchison and lock
Emma Feldinger rounded out the scoring late in the second half. Meanwhile centre
Shoshanah Seumanutafa was good on three of four conversion attempts to help secure a T-Birds victory.
The visiting University of Lethbrige Pronghorns play a second straight road game and will be trying to bounce back from a season opening 17-10 setback last Saturday against the University of Alberta Pandas in Edmonton. After finding themselves in a 17-0 halftime deficit the Pronghorns put forth a spirited late game effort in scoring the only points of the second half courtesy of Abigail Duguid and Caitlin Sears but we're unable to complete the comeback.
First-year Thunderbirds head coach
Dean Murten was very pleased with how his squad kicked off the season against a highly touted UVic team and believes it can act as a big building block.
"The game against UVic was a great start to the season, coming from behind against a good physical team showed our group what they are capable of," said Murten. "Providing they all play to their full potential, and do the things that do not require skill better than the opposition."
Murten was then asked to size up this Friday's match against Lethbridge.
"I'm expecting a very physical game from the Pronghorns, they are a very well coached team and will have a good build up to the start of CanWest," continued Murten. "Losing against the Uof A will ensure they come out ready to battle on Friday. Our game against UVic is history now, my squad knows you're only as good as your last game, so I am expecting a great game of physical rugby."
Following Friday's game, UBC will hit the road for a meeting with the University of Calgary Dinos next Sunday, September 23 with a 1 p.m. PT start.
