VANCOUVER – The UBC Thunderbirds (2-0) picked up a decisive 74-0 victory in their home opener over the University of Alberta Pandas (1-1) at the Gerald McGavin UBC Rugby Centre. The U SPORTS No. 3-ranked T-Birds racked up 12 tries in the win, including four from
Adia Pye in just her second career match and two each from
Savannah Bauder and
Olivia Sarabura. Alberta fell short against the three-time defending Canada West champions after starting their season with an impressive 54-5 home win against Calgary.
UBC opened the scoring five minutes into the match when
Tia Jordo caught a kick from the Pandas, who were pinned deep in their half, and made a quick pass to Sarabura coming around her left side. The centre exploded through the Alberta line, barely slowed by a pair of attempted arm tackles, before touching the ball down for five.
Five minutes later the power of the 'Birds was on full display as they pushed the Pandas back more than a dozen yards in a scrum before pulling the ball out and sending it wide on the left side to Bauder. The 2021 Canada West Player of the Year tried to swing it further left, only to find no teammate there. Undeterred, Bauder scooped up her own attempted pass and dashed into the far left corner of the try zone.
The T-Birds carried the momentum from those two early tries through the rest of the half, tacking on five more scores before the break to take a 43-0 lead. This despite a pair of standout one on one tackles from Alberta fullback Shaely Moodie to help turn the 'Birds back within 10 yards of the try zone twice.
The Pandas showed plenty of fight in the second half, with Bea Herrera and Maria Sawiak each ripping off 20 yard runs. They also threatened with a long, methodical drive starting in the 70
th minute, but never quite broke in to score.
UBC meanwhile added five more second half tries, including freshman flyhalf
Lana Dueck picking up her first career score, en route to the 74-0 win.
After the match, the first year Pye was glowing as she reflected on her spectacular four try performance.
"It was a really exciting game and just to be able to play in this atmosphere for my first time here at UBC in our home opener, it was a really cool opportunity," she gushed, a grinned plastered to her face. "My confidence all comes from my teammates honestly, they talked to me the whole time, they're all so supportive, they set me up and I just get to put it down."
Alberta continues its west coast road trip with a matchup in Victoria against the Vikes on Sunday. UBC now gets 10 days off before hosting the University of Calgary Dinos on Sunday, September 24
th at 1:00 p.m. (PT) back at the Gerald McGavin UBC Rugby Centre.
Scoring Summary
First Half
UBC – Try,
Olivia Sarabura – (
Savannah Bauder convert unsuccessful) 5' 5-0 UBC
UBC – Try,
Savannah Bauder – (
Olivia Sarabura convert unsuccessful) 10' 10-0 UBC
UBC – Try,
Adia Pye – (Sarabura convert) 17' 17-0 UBC
UBC – Try,
Savannah Bauder – (Bauder convert) 20' 24-0 UBC
UBC – Try,
Alayna Scramstad – (Bauder convert) 26' 31-0 UBC
UBC – Try,
Adia Pye – (Bauder convert unsuccessful) 29' 36-0 UBC
UBC – Try,
Adia Pye – (Sarabura convert) 37' 43-0 UBC
Second Half
UBC – Try,
Lana Dueck – (Bauder convert unsuccessful) 44' 48-0 UBC
UBC – Try, Sarabura – (Sarabura convert successful) 55' 55-0 UBC
UBC – Try,
Adia Pye – (Sarabura convert) 64' 62-0 UBC
UBC – Try,
Robyn Alexander (Sarabura convert unsuccessful) 67' 67-0 UBC
UBC – Try,
Tessa Strom (Sarabura convert) 79' 74-0 UBC
