WSOC WEB
2
Winner UBC UBC (3-0-0, 3-0-0)
0
Thompson Rivers TRU (2-1-0, 2-1-0)
Winner
UBC UBC
(3-0-0, 3-0-0)
2
Final
0
Thompson Rivers TRU
(2-1-0, 2-1-0)
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
UBC UBC 2 0 2
Thompson Rivers TRU 0 0 0

Game Recap: Women's Soccer | | TRU WolfPack

Reigning Champion Thunderbirds tally twice in first half to defeat ‘Pack

QUICK FIRE
  • The Thompson Rivers WolfPack women's soccer team more than held their own against one of the perennial powers in Canadian university soccer but were just unable to find a result as they fell 2-0 to the UBC Thunderbirds Friday night.
     
DIFFERENCE MAKERS
  • The TRU defence was valiant in front of goalkeeper Floor Ursem with the dutch netminder making three saves on the night. WolfPack forward Esi Lufo had a pair of shots on goal while rookie Stella Klippenstein added another.
  • Ava Alexander and Sienna Gibson scored the goals with the Thunderbirds with Holly Whelan and Jayda Thompson providing the assists.

HOW IT HAPPENED
  • The Thunderbirds struck twice early in the first half.
  • UBC's first goal came in the 13th minute of play. Thompson was shifty on the edge of the box before sending a pass into the middle of the penalty area where Alexander was able to tuck it into the net.
  • The Thunderbirds doubled their lead just four minutes later. Whelan got the ball on the wing and played it over the top of the WolfPack defence where Gibson was first to it to make it 2-0.
  • TRU was able to bounce back after the early setbacks however and worked their way into the game throughout the remainder of the frame. Lufo and Klippenstein both fired shots on net but were unable to crack Dakota Beckett in the UBC net.
  • The WolfPack continued that strong run of play into the second half.
  • TRU's best chance to score came through Lufo as the Albanian forward barrelled through a pair of UBC defenders and unleashed a shot towards the near post that Beckett was able to parry away.
  • The teams traded chances throughout the remainder of the game, but neither were able to find the back of the net.

NOTABLE
  • The loss was the first of the season for a WolfPack squad that now sits at 2-1.
  • UBC moves to a perfect 3-0 on the season and are now undefeated in their last 27 league games.
  • Shots on goal in the game were 5-3 in favour of the Thunderbirds.
 

QUOTABLE (WolfPack head coach Mark Pennington)
 
  • "We went toe-to-toe with them throughout the game. We just had two moments in the first half where we didn't control runners properly and they are a really good team so if you give them an opportunity they will punish you."
  • "In the second half their goalkeeper made a good save and there were a couple set pieces that we were so close to connecting on so it could have been a different result."
  • "I'm super proud of the effort, energy and quality that the girls brought. I think it shows that we've closed the gap to a team like UBC."
  • "Anytime you play against an undefeated team that are the defending national champions it's going to be tough but I'm really proud of how the girls did and we will see them two more times in the season so hopefully we can learn from this and get up for the next one."
  • "I thought Lufo worked incredibly hard and got us up the park and she was unlucky not to score. I thought Bridget Baird worked her absolute socks off, Paige Dwane was exceptional marking arguably the best player in the country so I'm proud of the performance and hopefully we can dust ourselves off and get ready for a battle tomorrow."

UP NEXT
  • The WolfPack will stay in Kamloops and get set to take on the UVic Vikes tomorrow, Saturday Aug, 30, with kickoff slated for 5:00 p.m. at Hillside Stadium. UBC meanwhile will remain on the road as they travel to Kelowna to face the UBC Okanagan Heat.
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