VANCOUVER –
Nisa Reehal,
Jade Taylor-Ryan and
Danielle Steer scored second-half markers to lift the UBC Thunderbirds past the UBC Okanagan Heat 3-0 Friday night at Thunderbird Stadium.
The match was largely a tightly contested affair until the T-Birds we're able to pull away in the late stages with a more determined second half effort. With the win UBC improves to 9-1-0 on the Canada West season and remain comfortably atop the Pacific Division and overall Conference standings with 27 points through 10 games while the Heat fall to 2-5-2 on the campaign.
"I think UBCO keep the ball well in their half and try and play and I felt we weren't getting the pressure and we weren't really communicating as a team," said UBC head coach
Jesse Symons on the grinding opening frame. "The second half we communicated better and I felt we stepped on them much better and we shifted a couple of details and fortunately we were able to score fairly early in the half and I thought we held very good control in the second half."
The T-Birds showing that better energy in the second half capitalized on a back-breaking UBCO give away from the back line in minute 57 as the defender dwelled on the ball in dangerous territory. Reehal counted her sixth goal of the season after closing down and poking the ball free and slotting it into the bottom left corner from 12-yards out past the outstretched arms of Heat goalkeeper Molly Race.
UBC increased their lead to 2-0 in the 85
th minute where a couple of second-half substitutes combined for some breathing room.
Vanessa Tome collected the ball in Heat territory and found fellow forward Jade Taylor Ryan with a precision pass before Ryan sliced through the top of the UBCO defense and tucked a shot into the left corner.
In stoppage time it was Steer who continued her chase to become the Canada West Women's Soccer all-time leading scorer, after being taken down in the box the fifth-year striker calmly placed her penalty kick into the left side netting for her team leading ninth goal of the season. With the goal Steer now has accumulated 61 total points over her CW career and sits four points back of all-time scoring leader and UBC Women's Soccer alumna Jasmin Dhanda (2013-17) with 65 total points.
Early in the proceedings the T-Birds enjoyed the lion's share of possession and field position but the Heat responded with good defensive awareness not allowing themselves to be opened up.
UBC's best chance of the opening half came in the 17
th minute and was served up on a platter following an ill-timed UBCO turnover from 16-yards out, the ball sat still for
Danielle Steer who sent a hard shot on goal but right at Race who corralled it in the center of the Heat net.
In the later stages of the first half UBCO was playing more on the front foot and gaining some momentum from connecting interplay which led to a few forays into T-Birds territory. All culminating with a threatening drive on net from 17-yards out by Heat forward Abigail Taneda that just went wide of the left post and a diving
Sarah Johns in the UBC goal.
On this second National Day for Truth and Reconciliation the Thunderbirds Women's Soccer team along with the over 350 supporters in attendance honoured and remembered the lost Indigenous children and Survivors of residential schools, their families and communities. Through relationships that the T-Birds have fostered over the years several members of the Indigenous community including Musqueam Artist Deb Sparrow, shared some thoughts and experiences surrounding the importance of Orange Shirt Day and the need for further reflection and commitment to create a more inclusive future. Supporters were also treated to a pre-game traditional performance from the Penelakut Dance Group.
Both teams are back in action on Saturday night with the T-Birds welcoming the Thompson Rivers Wolfpack to the Point Grey campus while the Heat head across the water to visit the UVic Vikes, both games kickoff at 5:00 p.m. PT.
