VICTORIA – The UBC Thunderbirds hope of a perfect season was dashed Saturday afternoon on the road following a rollercoaster meeting with the rival UVic Vikes that ended in a 31-31 tie.
 
The momentum swings were definitive and saw the Vikes control the opening 20 minutes and the final 20 minutes while the T-Birds dominated the 40 minutes in between. With the draw the T-Birds conclude the Canada West regular season campaign with a 4-0-1 record to finish atop the five-team standings with 23 points, four points clear of the second place Vikes with 19.


 
Saturday's affair started out well for the hosts as the Vikes jumped out to an early 12-0 nothing lead thanks to early tries scored in the third and fifteenth minute from Krissy Scurfield and Madison Jumeau, the latter of which saw a Alexei Pusch add a successful convert.
 
The T-Birds took time to settle in but found their groove in a big way in the back half of the first frame when they responded with what would be the first of five consecutive tries beginning at minute 30 and carrying through the early part of the second half. It began with second-year centre Olivia Sarabura opening the scoring for the blue and gold followed shortly after with Back Row Rachel Smith crossing the goal line in the 36^th minute to give the T-Birds a 14-12 advantage at the break.


 
UBC continued their scoring momentum following the pause by recording three tries in a nine-minute span, beginning with second-year Winger Piper Logan in minute 44. Third-year Fly Half Savannah Bauder followed with a marker in the 48^th minute and then it was Logan again using her speed to break free for a solo run down the left side and an uncontested score for what appeared to be a commanding 31-12 lead with 27 minutes to play.
 
UVic refused to go away easily however and began to rally shortly after the T-Bird scoring flurry with a flurry of their own with three scores in a 20-minute span starting with Summer Blackmore in minute 58 and Lucie Romeo eight minutes later to pull within seven points, trailing UBC 31-24 with 14 minutes to play. The Vikes completed the comeback with Blackmore's second try of the match followed by Kiara Peary's second conversion to reel in the T-Birds and tie the proceedings at 31-31 just ahead of full time in minute 78.


 
The T-Birds who've enjoyed the second overall U SPORTS national ranking this fall will now concentrate on trying to defend their Canada West Championship title from last season when they head to next weekend's Canada West Final Four hosted in Edmonton, Alta. From October 20 to 23.
 
What follows is U SPORTS Women's Rugby Championship back in Victoria, B.C. from November, 2 to 6.
 
 
SCORING SUMMARY
 
UBC      14        17       31
VIC        12        19       31
 
First Half
3' VIC - Krissy Scurfield try (convert missed) 5-0 VIC
15' VIC - Madison Jumeau try (Alexie Pusch convert) 12-0 VIC
30' UBC - Olivia Sarabura try (Savannah Bauder convert) 12-7 VIC
36' UBC - Rachel Smith try (Savannah Bauder convert) 14-7 UBC
 
Second Half
44' UBC - Piper Logan try (Savannah Bauder convert) 21-12 UBC
48' UBC - Savannah Bauder try (convert missed) 26-12 UBC
53' UBC - Piper Logan try (convert missed) 31-12 UBC
58' VIC - Summer Blackmore try (Kira Peary convert) 31-19 UBC
66' VIC - Lucie Romeo try (convert missed) 31-24 UBC
78' VIC - Summer Blackmore try (Kira Peary convert) 31-31