VANCOUVER – The UBC Thunderbirds more than pleased the energetic capacity crowd in their Canada West home opener thanks to
Katalin Tolnai's second half hat trick in a span of just over seven minutes en route to downing the UVic Vikes 4-0 Thursday night at Thunderbird Stadium.
"It was really good service, my teammates deserve credit getting the ball right to my head and feet to make it easy for me," said Tolnai following her first ever multi-goal output in a Canada West game. "We're scoring goals and it's a good start to the season; we have a deep bench so we just have to keep it rolling."
Danielle Steer, the reigning Canada West Women's Player of the Week opened the scoring for the T-Birds in the seventh minute with her team leading fifth goal of the season as UBC improved to 3-0 on the campaign and in the process have outscored their opponents 14-0 thus far. With the loss UVic fell to 0-2-1 in the early going.
It was fabulous atmosphere on a beautiful evening to open September and another school year with 3,433 fans jam packed into T-Bird Stadium, the majority of them involved in Jump Start, UBC's multi-day orientation designed to introduce first-year students to the university.
After early pressure from the T-Birds the Vikes responded with some possession of their own leading to their first shot on goal of the game in the 26
th minute when midfielder Sophie Fingarson hit a well struck line drive from 28 yards out but
Sarah Johns was well positioned in the UBC net to collect it.
After failing to capitalize on several grade A chances while enjoying the run of play early in the first half the 'Birds finally broke the deadlock just before the break. In the 41
st minute
Nisa Reehal, who had been buzzing all half cut in on the right corner of the Vikes 18-yard box and sent a diagonal pass to Steer who calmly curled a looping one-time shot into the right bottom corner passed an outstretched Kayley Lidstone tending the UVic goal.
Coming out of halftime with the 1-0 lead the T-Birds would pour it on in what would be an unforgettable nine-minute span for Tolnai. It began with
Sophia Kramer dribbling deep into Vikes territory on the left side before cutting the ball back to Tolnai who made no mistake from 10 yards out, roofing a left footed shot just under the crossbar in minute 52 for the 2-0 advantage.
Six minutes later Tolnai executed on a solo effort collecting the ball around the 30-yard line amongst three Vikes players, sliced her way into the box and tucked a shot into the left bottom corner to make it 3-0 with 58 minutes played.
It was another impressive build up to round out the scoring for UBC beginning out of their own end with
Ella Sunde driving a well-placed floated ball from over 40 yards out into the Vikes box where Tolnai's glancing header popped over a charging Lindstone for the 4-0 lead and Tolnai's third marker in under eight minutes. With the achievement Tolnai becomes the 20th player and sixth T-Bird since 2006 in Canada West women's history to score three goals in one half in a conference game.
"We've talked a lot this year about being a team that's going to keep going to try and keep the tempo up and if they miss one, they're going to get another one," said UBC head coach
Jesse Symons in reference to his squad's perseverance after early frustrations. "Full credit to
Nisa Reehal to find Danny (Steer), Danny's scoring goals right now and is very confident. I was also telling Katalin (Tolnai) before the game today she needs to be shooting and scoring because that's her job as our number nine and what a second half with the hat trick in quick succession. Kat's such a phenomenal player and I thought the service for all four goals was first class and overall, a good performance to keep a clean sheet again which is our identity."
With five goals and seven total points through three games this season Steer has cracked the top five list for all-time Canada West goals. She now has 37 in her career, 14 back of record holder and T-Birds alumnae Janine Frazao (51).
UBC finished the night with 10 shots on goal and Lidstone needed to be sharp in making six big saves for the visitors who managed two overall shots on target.
The T-Birds get back at it next weekend when they host the Alberta Pandas Friday, September 9 at Thunderbird Stadium and a 5:00 p.m. kickoff. Meanwhile The Vikes welcome MacEwan Griffins for their home opener next Friday in Victoria.
