CALGARY – The UBC Thunderbirds (2-0) ended their first weekend of Canada West play in style with a 4-0 win over the Mount Royal Cougars (1-2). Bailey Doerksen scored her second brace in as many games as the T-Birds flaunted their high-powered offense, scoring four goals in just twenty minutes in the second half.
 
UBC jumped out aggressively in the early going, putting pressure on the Cougars' defense. But despite recording six shot attempts and six corner kicks in the first 45 minutes, they weren't able to find the breakthrough. MRU midfielder Tamara Djurisic nearly opened the scoring for the home team in the 17^th minute, but hit the post, and the two teams entered the break knotted at zero.
 
The Cougars came out strong in the second half, forcing back-to-back saves from UBC goalkeeper Dakota Beckett, but the tides turned in the 68^th minute. With possession deep in the MRU half, Holly Whelan whipped in a ball from the outside that may have been intended as a cross, but in reality, looped perfectly over the head of the MRU goalie and into the back of the net.
 
From there, the floodgates opened, and just three minutes later the T-Birds stormed back down the pitch and doubled the lead. This time it was Doerksen bundling home a cross from Maddy Norman, who recorded her first career Canada West assist.
 
The visitors' third goal came in the 76^th minute, when Jayda Thompson showed her lightning speed by blitzing past the Cougars' defense on the outside. She then slid the ball across to Doerksen who tapped it in for her fourth goal of the season in just two games played.
 
The Thunderbirds weren't done there, as veteran forward Vanessa Tome added one more with her first goal of the season in the 87^th. Norman got her second assist of the night on the play as the T-Birds put a bow on a fantastic second half performance.
 
The victory means UBC returns home with a record of 2-0, with nine goals scored and none conceded through the first weekend of Canada West play. Next up for the defending national champs is their home opener, against sister school UBC Okanagan on Friday, September 13^th. Kickoff is set for 5:00 p.m. at Thunderbird Stadium.