VANCOUVER – In a crucial game for determining Canada West playoff match ups, the UBC Thunderbirds finished off their regular season with a 5-2 victory over the Fraser Valley Cascades. Taylor Shannik (Delta, BC) and Rachael Sawer (North Vancouver, BC) lead the way for the Thunderbirds with two goals apiece.
With tonight's win, UBC improved their record to 8-2-2 for a total of 26 points. This will be enough to hang on to third place in the conference regardless of how Regina, Saskatchewan, and Alberta do in their final games this weekend. Anything less than a win could have resulted in UBC losing their home field advantage in the first round.
The Thunderbirds came out strong with a fourth minute goal by Taylor Shannik (Delta, BC), but the Cascades fired right back fifteen seconds later with a goal by Danika Snook (Chilliwack, BC). Shannik put UBC up again in the 9th minute with her third goal of the weekend and fifth this season. This time it was a header assisted by UBC captain Kelly Cook (Maple Ridge, BC).The Cascades equalized again in the 26th minute. Tristan Corneil (Surrey, BC) put in a rebound past a diving Alyssa Williamson (Langley, BC).
In the second half, UFV could no longer keep up to the pace set by UBC. Rachael Sawer (North Vancouver, BC) scored the go ahead goal for the Thunderbirds in the 62ndminute on a high arching shot from 30 yards out. Rookie midfielder Tamara Roughead followed up with a powerful strike from 40 yards out in the 76th minute, her first goal as a Thunderbird. Sawer converted a penalty kick in the 86th minute to wrap up the game.
UBC head coach Mark Rogers felt that his team didn't play with enough urgency in the first half, especially considering the importance of tonight's game. “We had a very poor first half tonight despite the fact that Taylor Shannik scored two beautiful goals off set pieces,” he said. “I felt that we just didn't come out with the same urgency I'd like. But they certainly put that right in the second half and I thought we were the dominant team, we really put them under a lot of pressure.”
The key difference coming back out after halftime was simply in the approach and the mindset of the players. Rogers said that the Thunderbirds displayed “a lot more composure and a lot more belief and urgency, and a lot less hesitancy” in the second half. “They knew (what was on the line). They wanted to host and didn't want to have to worry about it tomorrow,” he added.
While UBC is now sure that they will be playing at Thunderbird Stadium next Saturday for the first round of Canada West soccer playoffs, they don't know who they will be up against yet. The tournament follows a single knock-out format, so every game is a must-win. Kickoff time is still to be determined.
“I have to wait until the results come in tomorrow to figure out who we'll be facing. Every team is quite different. They have different strengths and weaknesses that we will address,” said Rogers. But no matter who it is, UBC knows they must stick to their own game plan and take control the game. “The most important thing is to make sure that we focus on what we need to do well and not completely focus on how to stop the opponent."
