VICTORIA – The U SPORTS No.1-ranked UBC Thunderbirds (13-0-1) have clinched the best record in Canada West, and kept their undefeated going, with a 2-1 win over the No.5-ranked University of Victoria Vikes (10-3-2) on Saturday afternoon at Centennial Stadium.
By clinching the top seed in both the Pacific Division and the conference, the T-Birds are guaranteed to host two Canada West quarterfinal matches, as well as a semi-final, in two weeks' time.
It was first-year
Nicolas Nadeau who got the scoring started for the 'Birds, tallying his second goal of the season in the 18
th minutes off of a pass by fellow midfielder
Luke Norman.
The blue and gold appeared set to hold their lead into half-time, until Vikes forward Matthew Pearce knotted the match up in the 42
nd minute, assisted by Takin Keshavarz. The goal was Pearce's eighth of the season, which places him third in Canada West.
The match remained tied until the 76
th minute when UBC's top goal-scorer,
Max Comsia, buried his fifth of the season off of a feed by surging first-year
Theo Afework. The duo combined for seven points over the two-game series against Victoria.
The T-Birds finish their regular season with a pair of games at UNBC next weekend, with the first one starting at 6:00 p.m. (PT) on Friday, October 17
th in Prince George.