VICTORIA – The UBC Thunderbirds (0-1) lost to the Victoria Vikes (1-0) 22-17 on a late, tie-breaking try in both teams' season opener at Wallace Field.

The narrow defeat marked the T-Birds' first regular season loss since 2019, which also came on a trip to Victoria. UBC had beaten its archrival 13 consecutive times prior to dropping Saturday's game and snapped a 27-match unbeaten streak in Canada West play.

2023 U SPORTS Player of the Year Savannah Bauder led the 'Birds with seven points on one try and one convert. Maya Addai led the way for the Vikes with three tries for 15 points.



Victoria opened the scoring in the sixth minute. Addai found open space on the right side of the field, running the ball into the end zone and touching it down for the 5-0 Vikes lead.
Similarly, in the 13th minute, a quick flip from Larah Wright out to Addai on the run resulted in the Vikes' second try of the day and 10-0 lead.

The Thunderbirds got on the board in the 19th minute, swinging the ball all the way to reigning Canada West Rookie of the Year Adia Pye on the far left side of the field. Pye ran it in for the try, and with Bauder's successful convert, made it a three-point game, 10-7, in favour of the Vikes.

Addai earned a hat trick in the 35th minute with her third and final try of the day, breaking away from the oncoming defenders at the halfway line to take the ball all the way to the end zone. With a successful convert by Kira Peary, the Vikes held a 10-point advantage at halftime, 17-7.

UBC opened the second half scoring with a push into the Vikes' defensive zone, ending with a quick run over the try line by Bauder to bring the score to 17-12 in the 57th minute.

Not even 10 minutes later, a quick pass out to Tia Jordo resulted in the tying try for the Thunderbirds, pulling the score even at 17-17 in the 66th minute.



The game-winning try was posted in the 79th minute, as the Vikes came out of a scrum and began working the ball to the right side of the field. Once it found Carissa Norsten, the third-year out-ran the oncoming defenders to touch the ball down and secure the win for the Vikes, 22-17.

The T-Birds now return home for an extended stay, as they will play all four of their remaining regular season game at the Gerald McGavin UBC Rugby Centre. Next up, the Lethbridge Pronghorns come to town for a match on Sunday, Sept. 15 at 1:00 p.m. (PT).

SCORING SUMMARY
             1     2     F
UBC     7   10   17
VIC      17   5    22

6' - VIC Try - #14 Maya Addai (convert missed) 5-0 VIC
13' - VIC Try - #14 Maya Addai (convert missed) 10-0 VIC
19' - UBC Try - #11 Adia Pye (#10 Savannah Bauder convert) 10-7 VIC
35' - VIC Try - #14 Maya Addai (#10 Kira Peary convert) 17-7 VIC
HALF
57' - UBC Try - #10 Savannah Bauder (convert missed) 17-12 VIC 
66' - UBC Try - #14 Tia Jordo (convert missed) 17-17
79' - VIC Try - #11 Carissa Norsten (convert missed) 22-17 VIC