Thunderbirds' women’s soccer tied the University of Victoria Vikes 2-2 in a tight, high-intensity match.
Early goals from both teams started off the competition. The first three goals being scored before the 15 minute mark and the fourth coming in before the halftime whistle.
The T-Birds’ drew first blood just after the two minute mark when Madison Guy crossed it low and hard just outside the Vikes’ six yard box. Taylor Shannik met the ball with her head, redirecting the cross past the Vikes' goalie Meaghan Storie.
The Vikes responded quickly. Just five minutes later off a corner kick by Stephanie Badilla Gutierrez, Emily Lieuwen headed the ball past Hannah Boshari’s outstretched fingers and into the back of the ‘Birds’ net.
The ‘Birds responded to the Vikes’ quick comeback, firing at the crossbar. Storie smothered the rebound before the ‘Birds could capitalize.
In the 14th minute, the T-Birds gave up another corner. The Vikes crossed the ball into the box and, in a tornado of flying feet and confusion, the ball found itself in the back of the net. Disregarding the cries of confusion from the players and claiming that that it was a “team effort,” Kiara Kilbey was credited with the goal and Stephanie Badilla Gutierrez with the assist.
Both teams lacked crisp passes and consistently gave up possession. The ‘Birds managed to hold on to the ball more and more and, as the half wound down, also kept the ball in the Vikes half.
In the 41st minute, the ‘Birds struck again tying the game at 2-2. Taylor Shannik passed the ball to Jasmin Dhanda at the top of the 18. Dhanda, striking off of a bounce, rocketed the ball into the top corner, past the helpless Storie.
The Thunderbirds came out of halftime hungry for the lead. UBC’s Aman Shergill ran the ball into the box and was taken down by two Vikes defenders, but the whistle remained silent. Shergill was escorted off the field returning several minutes later from her injury.
“Aman Shergill really stepped it up for us,” said UBC Head Coach Marisa Kovacs. “She defended well, she was focused, she got hurt for a little bit there but then battled back which showed a lot of character."
UBC continued their intensity throughout the half, dominating possession and keeping the play in the Vikes’ half. Shergill and the T-Bird’s back line shut down the odd Victorian attack and Boshari did well to stop a one on one and a corner kick that threatened to be the Vikes’ third goal off of a corner.
“It was a 90 minute battle,” said Kovacs. “Our team played well, to be honest. They [Victoria] didn’t score off the run of play against us … this week we’ll focus on that."
The ‘Birds have four more regular season games before hosting the CIS Championships November 12-15.
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