VANCOUVER, B.C. – UBC Thunderbirds stayed perfect on the season, taking their record to 7-0-0 following a comprehensive 5-0 victory over the visiting Thompson Rivers Wolfpack (4-3-0) at Thunderbirds Stadium on Saturday evening.
A first half goal from
Ava Alexander set UBC on their way, with second half strikes from
Holly Whelan,
Maddy Norman,
Sienna Gibson and
Jayda Thompson seeing the defending Canada West and U SPORTS champions extend their winning streak to an incredible 30 matches, dating back to 2023.
With the team showing no signs of letting up, Thunderbirds head coach
Jesse Symons was a happy man after the latest outing. Another win and another clean sheet.
"Full credit to the team, they're building game after game right now," Symons said. "To see all these young players come in and influence the games, but also our more seasoned players find a way to manage the game as well, has been really exceptional to see. Overall, just a great, great win tonight.
"To see
Holly Whelan score consistently game after game as a midfielder has been impressive. The big unsung hero for our team this year has been
Zoelle Apps. If you look at seven shutouts, she's just been managing the backline with such pedigree as a second year right now. We had a very good second year last year and she's just jumped into that space, which has been pretty impressive."
UBC were dominant in possession in the first half and almost found the breakthrough with just 41 seconds on the clock when Whelan flashed a shot inches past the far post.
The Thunderbirds kept the pressure coming and they got their reward in the 14th minute when
Sofia Peckenpaugh sent in an inviting low cross from the right. Wolfpack keeper Floor Ursem looked to have it, but the ball wriggled from her grasp and Alexander was on hand to knock it home for her third of the season and the opener on the night.
Thompson almost doubled UBC's lead seven minutes later when she carved through the TRU defence with one of her trademark runs, only to look on in agony as her shot crashed off the bar, then down onto the goalline, before bouncing away.
Thompson came close again seconds later, while
Hannah Bains had a couple of looks on goal late in the half, but the Thompson Rivers defensive blocks were on point and they headed into the break just one behind and still very much in the match.
TRU came out on the front foot after the restart, with Esi Lufo forcing the first save of the night from UBC keeper
Dakota Beckett in the 47th minute.
UBC doubled their advantage in the 54th minute with a stunning 25-yard strike from Whelan that flew off her foot and into the top corner.
Norman volleyed home an
Ella Sunde knockdown in the 66th minute, before Sunde turned provider for Gibson to fire home a fourth for UBC eight minutes later.
Sunde set up a third consecutive tally in the 78th minute when she was superbly played in on goal. Her initial shot was saved by Ursem, but Thompson ran in on the back post and tapped it in to make it a five-star performance.
Bains almost made it six in stoppage time with a stunning, dipping long range free kick, but it flew over by inches, which would have been the perfect ending on a near-perfect Thunderbirds performance.
UBC now head to the interior for a matchup with UBC-Okanagan Heat in Kelowna next Friday. Thompson Rivers return home to face the UNBC Timberwolves in Kamloops next Saturday afternoon.
