PRINCE GEORGE, B.C. – The UBC Thunderbirds women's basketball team suffered its first road loss of the Canada West season, falling 80-63 to the Northern BC Timberwolves in Prince George, B.C., Friday night.

UBC bench boss Deb Huband coached in the 500th Canada West regular season game of her illustrious career.
 
Forward Keylyn Filewich's 13-point, 13-rebound performance led the way for UBC, which also got double-digit scoring contributions from Jessica Hanson (12), Gabrielle Laguerta (11) and Emily Martindale (11). It was a career high for the rookie Martindale. Forward Madison Legault had a career-best four blocks.
 
"I think the struggle that we've had so far in this season is trying to get going offensively," said Filewich. "I thought our defensive execution for the most part was pretty solid and just trying to find those openings, both myself and others. We just need to find that flow offensively and we haven't found it yet this season."
 
Madison Landry and Alina Shakirova showed up big against the Thunderbirds on Friday night, dropping 24 and 22 points respectively to give the hosts their second victory of the season. UBC falls to 2-3.
 
A back-and-forth affair in the first quarter saw both teams even at 15 entering the second.
 
The T-Wolves pulled ahead late in the second frame when they finished the quarter with a 7-0 run, extending their lead to 36-28 before the intermission. At the half, forward Landry led all scorers with 15, 10 of which came in the second quarter. Martindale's seven points led all Thunderbird scorers at halftime.
 

UBC chipped away at the deficit to start the third, holding UNBC to four points while the Thunderbirds mounted their comeback. Midway through the third UBC drew within one, trailing 40-39 with 5:40 to go. Down by three, UBC guard Laguerta knocked down a triple to draw her team even at 45-45.
 
Tough defence and some timely threes from Emily Holmes and Landry helped the T-wolves hold off UBC's rally. Eleven unanswered points from UNBC put them ahead 56-47 entering the final 10 minutes.
 
The visitors got to within eight (71-63) on a Hailey Counsell triple with just over two minutes remaining but couldn't edge any closer.
 
UBC had a 47-35 advantage in rebounds but the T-Wolves outscored their opponents 27-15 from behind the arc, and committed 11 fewer turnovers (27-16).
 
The teams will wrap up their weekend doubleheader Saturday with a 5 p.m. PT game at the Charles Jago Northern Sports Centre.