VANCOUVER - A pair of hat-tricks saw the nationally number one ranked UBC Thunderbirds book their place in the Canada West Women's Soccer Final Four with a comprehensive 8-1 victory over Regina Cougars at Thunderbird Stadium on Friday evening.

 

It was a clinical display from UBC and their free-flowing play and movement caused no end of problems from the visiting Saskatchewan side. Katalin Tolnai hit a first half hat-trick and her half-time replacement Jade Taylor-Ryan hit her own hat-trick in the second half for a rampant Thunderbirds attack. Nisa Reehal and Sophie Damian were also on the scoresheet for UBC, with Sophia Stephens grabbing a late consolation for Regina.

 

"Overall, these are nervy games," UBC head coach Jesse Symons said after the game. "A quarter-final to get to a Canada West semi-final and heavy favourites for the game. Our statement overall was to find an early goal, really get after them, and to get into their penalty box early was a credit to our front three and as the game wore on we were able to find better channels.

 

"Our front three were once again phenomenal, Sophie [Damian] had a fantastic game in midfield, and Jade [Taylor-Ryan] scores goals, that's a little phrase we have. She is such a goal scorer and what a player to come in. Overall, full credit for the result tonight."

 

The Cougars had enjoyed the better play in the opening minutes, taking the game to their hosts from kick off and firing in their only shot of the first half, but that was to be as good as it got for Regina in the half as UBC turned up the heat.

 

The Thunderbirds got their reward and breakthrough seven minutes in when Tolnai held off a challenge to expertly play in Reehal, who finished low to the far corner with aplomb.

 

There was no looking back for UBC after that and Tolnai doubled the host's lead midway through the half, flicking home a low Jacqueline Tyrer corner from a few yards out and Tolnai made it three with her second goal of the game in the 31^st minute, picking up a pass from Damian with her back to goal, turning on a dime and then putting on the jets to leave Sierra Kolodziej in her wake, running in on goal and tucking it away past Cougars 'keeper Allyson Ford.

 

UBC were firmly in control and they added a fourth in first half stoppage time when Tolnai was bundled over in the box, picking herself up to blast home the penalty and grab her hat-trick.

 

The big lead allowed UBC to make seven half time substitutions with an eye to resting players ahead of next week's Final Four, while Regina made five changes themselves, but the Thunderbirds didn't miss a beat and launched wave after wave of attacks to start the second half.

 

Taylor-Ryan was one of those half time changes and she wasted no time in making her mark on the game finishing off an Ella Sunde pass in the 50^th minute, then doing the same with a Damian pass inside five minutes later.

 

Damian got on the scoresheet herself with a 25 yard rocket in the 65^th minute to make it seven before Taylor-Ryan got her hat-trick with an 83^rd minute penalty, which Ford got a hand to but couldn't keep out.

 

That rounded off the scoring for UBC but Stephens got a late consolation goal for Regina with six minutes remaining with a nice looping finish to beat Dakota Beckett.

 

A tough end to the season for Regina, but for a young team that two weeks ago wasn't even meant to be in the playoffs, it was a fighting performance to the end that pleased their head coach Astrid Baecker.

 

"We wanted to take the absolute most of the opportunity that was in front of us," Baecker noted after the match. "Part of our Cougar pride is that we were never going to give up. We knew we were in for a tough game, with such a tough opponent, number one ranked in Canada. The ability to take to the turf with them and battle with them for 90 minutes, we were going to take advantage of every single moment so that we can grow as a program."

 

For UBC, attention now turns to next week's Final Four, which is scheduled to take place at the highest remaining Prairie Division seed after this weekend's quarter-finals. With the U Sports nationals also on the horizon and the Thunderbirds one of the favourites and in good form, Symons is taking nothing for granted.

 

"It's one game at a time for sure, but we get two cracks at nationals now," Symons said. "We also have a semi-final where we get back to a Canada West final again and keep this season rolling. Tonight these players showed that they have the mindset to get after it and I'm hoping next week we have the same mindset, regardless if we play Calgary or Alberta and see what happens."