Macyn Jolly
Richard Lam
0
Thompson Rivers THOMPSON (5-7-0, 5-7-0)
2
Winner UBC UBC (10-0-0, 10-0-0)
Thompson Rivers THOMPSON
(5-7-0, 5-7-0)
0
Final
2
UBC UBC
(10-0-0, 10-0-0)
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Thompson Rivers THOMPSON 0 0 0
UBC UBC 0 2 2

Game Recap: Women's Soccer | | TRU WolfPack

WolfPack put forth monumental effort but can’t stop No. 1 T-Birds

QUICK FIRE
  • It was an effort to be proud of for a Thompson Rivers WolfPack women's soccer team that were right with the nationally No. 1 ranked UBC Thunderbirds for all 90 minutes in a close 2-0 defeat on the road.
     
DIFFERENCE MAKERS
  • Rookie goalkeeper Floor Ursem made eight saves for the WolfPack. The entire WolfPack backline, midfield and even forwards defended courageously throughout the match. Bridget Baird had TRU's lone shot on goal.
  • Zoelle Apps and Maddy Norman scored for the Thuunderbirds with Dakota Beckett recording the shutout.

HOW IT HAPPENED
  • TRU did well to keep the high-flying T-Birds off the scoresheet in the first half. Defenders Paige Dwane, Katie Chun and Alexis Virgo shut down attack after attack and while Ursem made five stops, none of the UBC attempts towards net were particularly dangerous.
  • It wasn't all just defending for TRU however as Esi Lufo, Mackenzie Lalonde and Baird all made dangerous forays deep into UBC territory.
  • The two teams headed into the halftime break knotted up at 0-0.
  • The WolfPack had the better run of play to start the second.
  • Baird got TRU's first shot on net with a stinging effort in the 50th minute that Beckkett was able to catch. That early second half momentum resulted in a pair of set pieces for TRU deep in the UBC end but the 'Pack were unable to threaten the net.
  • While the Thunderbirds began to take back control of the game in the latter portion of the half, TRU initially kept them off the scoresheet thanks to player after player throwing themselves in front of UBC shots.
  • The Thunderbirds finally found the breakthrough marker with just ten minutes left to play. Ella Sunde played a ball from the wing towards the top of the WolfPack 18-yard box that Apps hit on the volley and into the bottom corner of the net.
  • Norman added the insurance marker just minutes later to allow UBC to pull out the late victory.

NOTABLE
  • TRU moves to 5-7 on the year with the result, although with the UVic Vikes losing their game Saturday night the 'Pack remain in a tie for third with UVic on 15 points.
  • To put TRU's defensive effort into perspective, that was the first time that UBC has been held to fewer than three goals in their last six games.
 
QUOTABLE (Head Coach Mark Pennington)
  • I can't be more proud of the effort we put in. It's not often you hear UBC celebrate the way that they did which just shows that it was a tough game. It took them until the 80th minute to break us down and that's credit to the girls, they worked hard.
  • We came out in a different shape and tactically did some things that caused them some problems and the team was outstanding.
  • That's the level, if we bring that level of compete to every game then things will be good.
  • We have two big games around the corner and our playoff hopes lay in getting results out of those. We have a week off now so we will get ourselves ready for those games against UBCO.
  • We went into a back three so Paige Dwane, Katie Chun and Alexis Virgo were really solid. With that shape meant a whole bunch of work for Bridget Baird and Sara Kuusimaki in the wingback roles, I thought those two were excellent. The player that we picked out was Macyn Jolly. Playing in the bottom of midfield I thought she was instrumental in winning balls, getting us up the field and I thought she had a really good game.
  • It speaks volumes to where the program has come that we are disappointed in giving up a couple late goals to a team that has won 28-straight Canada West games.

UP NEXT
  • TRU will take a well-earned bye weekend next week before playing the final games of their 2025 regular season at home Oct. 18-19 at Hillside Stadium. Those games, both against the UBC Okanagan Heat will have playoff implications as the 'Pack try to qualify for the CW postseason for the third time in program history.
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