Vancouver – In a gritty performance from both teams it was the UBC Thunderbirds who finally cracked the UNBC Timberwolves goalkeeping code in the 89
th minute to capture a 1-0 home opening victory in front of a boisterous crowd at Thunderbirds Stadium Friday evening.
Fifth-year T-Wolves goalkeeper Brooke Molby was by far the standout performer of the match in turning away 16 of 17 T-Birds shots, making several spectacular saves on what would have been sure goals along the way.
In the end it was UBC second-year midfielder
Katalin Tolnai who took advantage of a nice through ball from
Ava Alexander on the left side of the 18-yard box, from seven yards out tucking the ball far right corner past a diving Molby in the 89
th minute. The home side finally capitalizing on what was a flurry of second have chances in their return to home pitch after a nearly two-year absence for the defending U Sports champions.
"Brooke is so solid," said UNBC head coach Neil Sedgwick referencing the play of his veteran goalkeeper who was the story on the night. "She's been great for us for four years now, she pulled off some fantastic saves and was comfortable in possession. I'm just really happy that she could have that type of performance."
The Timberwolves played well defensively throughout but especially in the first half in keeping UBC mostly to the outside and settling for shots from distance. It was a defensive structure that included a high back line which caused the home side to be called off-side on seven different occasions in the opening frame.
The second half was a different story beginning in the 60
th minute with a patient T-Birds attack now finding ways to penetrate the UNBC backline, connecting on several through balls leading to partial breakaways. In quick succession
Emma Hooton and
Danielle Steer found themselves starring down Molby who was fearless off her line to turn their chances aside.
Molby's best save on the night came in the 72
nd minute off a hard driving strike from Alexander just 12 yards out that was labelled for the top right corner, Molby dove to her left to keep it scoreless in the later stages.
"Their keeper made a few really great saves," said UBC head coach
Jesse Symons. "I thought we had a few chances that in training or other games usually go in the net so we'll give credit where credit is due but those usually go in so if we're creating those chances in those spaces we'll be fine going forward here."
The T-Birds managed to hold the T-Wolves to just one shot on target for the night, which are some of the habits Symons wants to keep focusing on.
"We keep trusting our process, our objective is to not allow chances and I thought we did that really well defensively, another shutout is big for us and I think overall we found a way and that's a championship team to find the character to go after it. Also, to see six or seven rookies on the field to end the game shows a lot of class and trust with them as well and to find that goal for our team shows the depth we have as a program."
With the win the T-Birds improve to 3-0 on the young season while UNBC falls to 0-5 and despite the late setback, Sedgwick was very pleased with his squad's gutsy effort which gives them plenty to build on.
"Incredibly proud of them and their efforts. The whole group from the group that started to the finishers that supported the side, just a really gritty effort but they stuck to what we wanted to do. We have to look long term and we want to put little pieces together; you know we came off UVic, Trinity Western and UBC, three top teams and we just want take lessons from them and I think we're growing and I'm proud of what they've done."
The teams complete their back-to-back weekend engagement on Saturday afternoon with a 3:30 p.m. kickoff back at Thunderbird Stadium. Following the women's match at 5:30 p.m. and prior to the men's game commencing at 7:30 p.m., a special Celebration of Life will take place in the stands to honour the incredible life and legacy of former men's and women's soccer coach as well as UBC Kinesiology Professor, Dick Mosher, who passed away in April.
Several hundred alumni, friends, supporters and family are expected to pay their respects and share memories of Mosher, one of the most accomplished figures throughout the decorated history of UBC varsity athletics. A calm and clever gentleman who is universally loved by countless men and women whose skill sets he helped develop for success both on and off the pitch.
All are welcome to attend Saturday's Celebration of Life and admission to both games is free, but seats must be reserved through the
new online Thunderbirds ticket page.
Both games will also be streamed live on
Canada West TV.
