KAMLOOPS – It was a battle until the end, but the Thompson Rivers WolfPack women's soccer team couldn't find a way past a stiff UVic Vikes defence in a 2-0 loss on Sept. 25.
 
UVic scored a goal on either side of the halftime break with Emma Skalik and Trinity Kettyls providing the markers. Danielle Robertson continued her march up the Canada West record book in net for the 'Pack. The fourth-year from Courtenay made seven saves on the night and now has 301 in her career, good enough for fourth in Canada West history.
 
A back-and-forth start to the game was eventually swung the way of the Vikes in the 25th minute of play. In almost a carbon copy from their goal a night before, a UVic corner kick into the box resulted in a mad scramble and a shot that squirted into the back of the WolfPack net.
 
"We had some patches of the game where we looked good, we were on the front foot and had a lot of fight and jump in us but unfortunately it wasn't for the whole game," said WolfPack head coach Mark Pennington. "We just switched off a couple of times and handed a couple of goals to them. We've obviously found it difficult to score so far this season so when you hand goals to the other team it makes it difficult."
 
The WolfPack did well to respond after conceding however, accruing three corner kicks of their own in quick succession. Unfortunately, those chances and more would go for naught with the score remaining 1-0 at the half.
 
UVic found their insurance marker in the 63rd minute. A looping ball into the box took a funny hop before being redirected into the net by Kettyls.
 
From there the WolfPack controlled the game but it was a case of too little too late. Camryn Curts came the closest to scoring when she was played in on net by a nice pass from Chantal Gammie but her effort was turned aside by Kayley Lidstone in the UVic net.
 
"The girls showed a lot of character to continue to push right until the end and create some scoring chances late on," said Pennington. "I thought we were a little unlucky not to get one, but it shows good character and something we can build on to move forward and turn this program into a contender."
 
The result was the second in as many days that went the way of the Vikes. The weekend sweep moves the Island-based squad to a record of 4-0-2 on the season while the WolfPack move to 0-4-2.
 
The WolfPack will return home for a pair of games next weekend. For the first time this season Hillside Stadium will be open for spectators when the 'Pack welcome the Trinity Western Spartans to Kamloops on October 1-2.