After back-to-back home victories against Lethbridge and Alberta, the UBC Thunderbirds have the chance to improve their record to 3-1 with their match against Calgary on Thursday, September 26th.

It's a busy stretch for the 'Birds, who are playing for the third time in just twelve days, but they at least have the advantage of playing all three matches at home. The necessary squad rotation has also allowed head coach Dean Murten to see how a lot of his team's younger players fare in Canada West action.



"I have been very impressed with two of the first years, Mya Koleba and Brooklyn Roddham," said Murten. "Mya has shown she's able to play at the physicality required, Brooklyn has shown she has the skills required to play in a pivotal role."

Given that the rest of the T-Birds roster includes players like reigning U SPORTS Player of the Year Savannah Bauder and Canada West Rookie of the Year Adia Pye (not to mention the multiple Canadian Olympians), having those first-year players who can contribute immediately gives even more depth to the high-powered UBC lineup.
 

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Adia Pye scored six tries, five of them in the first half, in a dominant @ubctbirds win over Alberta!

The reigning Rookie of the Year has been a key offensive driver for the T-Birds again so far this season. pic.twitter.com/7YEdcafJRC

— Canada West (@CanadaWest) September 24, 2024

That depth has helped the Thunderbirds shake off their season-opening loss to UVic, bouncing back with two dominant wins over Albertan opposition. UBC has the chance to make it a wild rose trifecta against the Dinos, who come into this week with an 0-3 record following two losses to the Pandas and one to the Pronghorns.

The T-Birds have won their last five meetings against the Dinos, and have won 17 straight at home overall dating back to 2019 (when they lost, ironically, to Calgary). The Gerald McGavin UBC Rugby Centre has been a fortress for the Thunderbirds in recent years, with UBC outscoring opponents by a combined total of 390-28 at home over the last two seasons.

While the focus is on Calgary, there's also the looming presence of playoffs on the horizon. After Thursday there will be just one more regular season match before the postseason begins, meaning every chance to get out on the pitch is important when it comes to finely tuning the team's play. Coach Murten asserts that there's still work to do in order for the team to be ready to fight for championships.

"I am looking for the team to improve in the core skills," added Murten. "It's now about getting the small things right."

The Thunderbirds and Dinos face off at 4:30 p.m. (PT) Thursday, at the Gerald McGavin UBC Rugby Centre.