VANCOUVER –
Danielle Steer scored twice to help power the UBC Thunderbirds to a convincing 5-0 Canada West quarter-final victory over the visiting Regina Cougars Friday evening at Thunderbird Stadium.
The 'Birds were clinical in their finish on the night and the win acts as the first postseason step for a squad looking to defend their U SPORTS national championship title from 2019 when all is said and done but up next will be advancement to the final four.
"It's what we wanted to see from our team," said UBC head coach Jesse Symonds. "We challenged them to come out on the front foot and full credit to the starting eleven they really showed their maturity and overall mindset to go at them and create, score goals, get in the box and it was fantastic to see tonight."
The opening minutes saw possession and opportunities favouring UBC with good chances coming to
Vanessa Tome,
Danielle Steer and
Tess McRae but the Cougars defence did well to block some shots while first-year goalkeeper Allyson Ford set an early tone with some excellent saves.
Regina responded with a dangerous looking foray into UBC territory as forward Peyton Enns raced down the right channel to get on the end of a through ball, the first-year forward's shot from 13 yards out was handled by T-Birds goalkeeper
Emily Moore.
The T-Birds first capitalized in minute 20 thanks to a nicely paced short through ball from
Katalin Tolnai that
Sophie Damian ran onto in the box and calmly placed passed Ford from 14 yards out.
Just five minutes later Steer would show a sign of things to come by dispossessing a Cougars defender and countering with a hard shot from 22 yards out that just went around the outside of Regina's left post.
Steer would make good on her next chance in minute 35 after
Sophie Damian sliced into the Cougars area and sent a short left footed cross that eventually settled for Steer who made no mistake in slotting it home from just six yards out and a 2-0 lead.
10 minutes later in stoppage time Steer would be heard from again after some diligent work from
Vanessa Tome down the right flank who then sent a firm cross into the danger area for Steer to convert yet again from about 10 yards out. Steer's team leading 17
th goal of the season gave the hosts and a commanding 3-0 lead going into the break.
The second half saw the Cougars come out with good energy and early possession but the 'Birds would be heard from in minute 51 with Steer poking a quick shot just wide of the visitors left post. That was followed up by two more fantastic saves from Ford in the Regina goal, first in the 55
th minute where Ford made a diving save to kick away a low hard driving McRae shot from 15 yards out. In minute 63 it was Ford again with a bold decision to come way out and challenge the shooter as Tome found herself on a breakaway only to be quickly met and turned away by the Cougars keeper.
The T-Birds would add two more impressive looking markers late in the contest just three minutes apart beginning with a surging 35 yard run up the gut from
Sophia Ferreira. The first-year centre back laid it off to
Jade Taylor-Ryan for a one-time blast from 18 yards out that went cross bar down and across the goal line for a 4-0 advantage in the 87
th minute.
Shortly thereafter in minute 89 it was
Aislin Phillips bringing the crowd to their feet in converting on a 30-yard free kick that carried into the top left corner beyond the outstretched hands of a diving Ford for the 5-0 tally.
"I think our combination play and ability to find each other was key tonight," added Symonds when asked about the team's execution. "We've been working on it all season and Regina came out with a good game plan and fortunately we were able to find little gaps to play through. Our quality also showed through up front Sophie and Katalin creating early, Danny obviously doing what she does, it was a very good effort all the way from the front to the back."
Despite the score line, the Cougars have a foundational goalie they can build around for the future in Ford. Without her it would have been a wider margin as she was very athletic and fearless in making nine saves, many of which were of the spectacular variety.
With the win the T-Birds advance to the Canada West final four and will next face the winner of Saturday's quarter-final between the UFV Cascades and the MacEwan Griffins, meanwhile the Cougars 2021 season comes to a close.
