VANCOUVER – The UBC Thunderbirds (6-0-0) maintained their perfect start to the 2026 season with a hard fought 2-0 victory over the visiting University of Victoria Vikes (0-1-3) at Thunderbird Stadium on Saturday evening.
After a scoreless first half, UBC turned up the pressure after the restart and second half goals from
Bailey Doerksen and
Maddy Norman saw the Thunderbirds make it six wins and six clean sheets out of six to start the 2026 season.
"They had really good balance today and I thought in the first half we weren't really getting to that octane level that we've seen over the last few games," UBC head coach
Jesse Symons said after the match. "We kept the ball well.
Maddy Norman had a great chance early that the keeper made a good save on, but the second half we showed more of who we are.
"We really put the foot on the pedal. Full credit to the team to step up a bit and get after it and I thought the game changers today made a big difference too when they went in."
The first half almost got off to a flyer for the home side just three minutes in, but Norman crashed her shot off the bar from a few yards out.
Doerksen whizzed a low one just past the left post in the 12th minute, but that was to be the closest UBC would come for the rest of the half, as UVic's defence comfortably held them at bay and showed why they had clean sheets in two thirds of their matches heading into this one.
Goals have been the problem for the Vikes so far this season and they had to wait until six minutes before half time to get their first shot of the game, a long range effort from Hannah Harper that was easily held by
Marilena Spagnolo.
UVic had a great chance to open the scoring three minutes into the second half when Malia Phelan had a free header in front of goal but right at Spagnolo.
Chloe Van Schalkwyk had the ball in the net for UBC in the 51st minute but it was quickly disallowed.
UBC weren't to be denied though and Doerksen slotted home a nice cutback from Norman on a quick counter-play and the deadlock was finally broken.
The Vikes almost levelled things up within two minutes, when Sophie Olcen rose superbly to get onto another corner, but Spagnolo came up with the save of the match to deny her on the goalline.
UBC got their assurance goal with nine minutes remaining.
Sophia Abiera's header came back off the bar into the path of Norman and UBC's leading scorer showed patience to make room for the shot before drilling into the far corner and the Thunderbirds had the second goal they were looking for, and another victory.
Next up for UBC are another pair of home games, with the University of Fraser Valley Cascades heading to Thunderbird Stadium on Friday September 25 with a 6:00 p.m. kick off.
UVic will stay on their travels with a double header in the interior, a trip to Kamloops first up next Friday to take on the Thompson Rivers Wolfpack.
