They might have been on the short end of the score but Friday's (Oct 4) match  for the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack  will be looked upon as a 'turning point'  in the development of their women's soccer program.
The Pack fell 2-1 to the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds in Canada West play on the Warner Rentals Field at Hillside Stadium.

Although TRU saw their three match unbeaten streak come to an end, the youthful WolfPack proved they can play with the 'big teams' in Canada West. The T-Birds got goals from  Sophie Damian and Natasha Klasios as they move to 5-1-3 on the season. Thompson Rivers falls to 1-5-3.

Camryn Curts set TRU history by scoring the first ever regular season goal against UBC when she drilled home her second of the season in the second half.
It was the first match for WolfPack head coach Mark Pennington against his old squad he was an assistant coach under Jesse Symons for three years.

 SYNOPSIS

The Thunderbirds were looking to extend their winning streak against the Pack but it was the youthful TRU squad who got most of the chances early in the first half. One of the best came in the 22^nd minute minute when Curts sent the ball ahead to Taylor Miller (5^th year, midfield, Kamloops, BC) who spotted Chantal Gammie (2^nd year forward, Smithers, BC) who got a piece of it but couldn't beat UBC keeper Emily Moore (4^th year, Victoria, BC).

The T-Birds experience and skills resulted in the team scoring twice in the first half.   They had 11 shots in the first 45 minutes (seven of them on goal) with most of those shots coming after the 39 minute mark.  The Pack had seven shots in the first stanza with only three reaching the net.

The WolfPack made three substitutions to start the second half which included the debut of former T-Bird Alex Varchol (2^nd year, defender, Summerland, BC) which helped to spur them on. After Curts' goal, TRU had two other great chances for the equalizer including one in the 87^th minute when Miller broke in and pulled Thunderbird keeper Moore out of position. She fired the ball towards the empty cage where a UBC defender just barely kicked it out.

UBC had its fair of chances on TRU keeper Danielle Robertson (3^rd year, Courtenay, BC) including a point blank stop off Vanessa Tome (1^st year, forward, Surrey, BC). 
This 'run and gun' match had 35 shots (21 by UBC).  The T-Birds had 11 shots on goal compared to the WolfPack's seven.
 
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Scoring Summary

1. UBC:  29:11 Natasha Klasios (5^th year midfield, Markham, ON) got the ball fed to her as she drove to the net off the left side of the pitch from Alyssa Hunt (4^th year, forward, Surrey, BC).  Klasios 1^st goal of the year.  UBC 1  TRU 0
2. UBC: 36:34: Sophie Damian (2^nd year, midfield, North Vancouver, BC) got the ball squared to her by Amiela Crawford (5^th year forward, Richmond, BC) through traffic.  Damian shoots lower right side for her third goal of the campaign.  UBC 2  TRU 0
3. TRU:5518-Camryn Curts (3^rd year, midfield, Courtenay, BC) took the throw in from Taylor Miller on the right side and was able to maneuver around two UBC defenders and use her left foot to put it into the net. Her second goal of the year.  UBC 2  TRU 1    The first ever regular season TRU goal against UBC in Canada West play.

HIGHLIGHTS
https://youtu.be/rs8ZofiKmi0
COMMENTS BY COACH  MARK PENNINGTON  (first year):

https://twitter.com/GoTRUWolfPack/status/1180324005112270848 


COMMENTS BY WOLFPACK MIDFIELDER CAMRYN CURTS (3^RD YEAR, COURTENAY, BC):
https://twitter.com/GoTRUWolfPack/status/1180323717324263424 
 
COMMENTS BY UBC Head coach Jesse Symons (3^rd year): 
https://twitter.com/GoTRUWolfPack/status/1180323413849542656 
 
UP NEXT:
Thompson Rivers winds up its four match homestand on Saturday (Oct 5) as they entertain the University of Victoria Vikes.  The Vikes were in Kelowna, BC on Friday (Oct 4) taking on the UBCO Heat and beat them 1-0.Kick off on Saturday between the Vikes and the WolfPack is 5 pm on the Warner Rentals field at Hillside Stadium.

The Heat will be the last visitors to Kamloops  for the WolfPack this regular season on Saturday, October 12^th. It will be the back end of a home-and-home series between the two schools and the second in the 2019-20 Presidents Cup series.  Thompson Rivers and UBCO battle in men's and women's' soccer, basketball, volleyball and cross country with points awarded after each confrontation.  The WolfPack won both the men's and women's President's Cups last year.
 
All of the above soccer, volleyball and basketball games, by the way, can been seen on a pay per view basis on www.CanadaWesttv presented by Co-OP.