The UBC women’s soccer team had something to be grateful for this Thanksgiving, continuing their winning streak with a 1–0 win against the University of Fraser Valley Cascades on Sunday, Oct. 12.
This game was a rematch of both teams’ first game of the season back in August, where UBC hosted the Cascades and beat them 4–0 at Thunderbird Stadium. Although the T-Birds once again took home the win, this time around was a better matchup for UFV, keeping up with UBC and keeping the score low.
This game was the last of a long stint of home games for the Cascades, with their previous matchup being another loss to the University of Victoria Vikes. While they would have wanted to end their last home game of the regular season with a win, the Cascades did well to keep the top team in the Pacific Division within a goal.
On the other hand, UBC needed to start out on the right foot in this game after a tough battle against the Trinity Western Spartans last Friday, barely walking away with a 1–0 win. Yet, even though the final score was similarly close against the Cascades, the ‘Birds were able to shake their past performance off and look like their usual selves, putting up 9 shots after being outshot 13–2 against TWU.
UBC’s Victoria Cronkhite runs with the ball. This game marked a bounce-back for the ‘Birds after being severely outshot in their previous game. Courtesy Jordie Arthur / UFV Cascades
To start the game, UFV planted their feet on defence early focusing more on their own end, not pushing any offensive attack. This commitment to being defensively sound allowed UFV to keep UBC out of the net as much as possible early on.
The T-Birds started the game with the opposite mindset, as they held a high press and pushed the play forward. With some good touches to get quick movement up the field and good use of their regular ball recycling play, UBC kept possession and set up chances.
Early into the game UBC earned a corner kick and got the ball into the box. It bounced back out but Sienna Gibson found it, with her attempt to connect being just off, going wide and out. Despite the miss, the close chance for UBC, a refreshing sight for the team after being unable to generate much on offence in their previous game.
Soon after, the Thunderbirds continued with their momentum on offence, getting back-to-back chances, but Cascades defender Kenzie Fitzgerald made a great defensive stand for UFV to keep UBC from getting a shot off — something opposing teams have not succeeded much at against UBC this season with the T-Birds averaging nearly 19 shots per game this season.
A quarter of the way through the game, the Cascades shifted their focus from their defence-oriented approach, starting to make moves on the attack and finding more confidence in their ability to play both ends of the pitch. With their first shot of the game, UFV forward Keanna Bentley made a good touch to her teammate, Kiana Langston, who put the ball on net with a low shot, but was unable to score.
Bentley was a standout for UFV in this game, doing a good job getting her body in front of the ball to beat UBC to it throughout the game. Through this, she was able to find a teammate to keep possession and set up plenty of UFV’s scoring chances.
Soon after setting up Langston, however, it was Bentley herself with another close chance, bringing the ball up right into the box but she could not get a shot off as UBC’s defence cut her off. After relying on their goalkeeper, Dakota Beckett, to keep them in the game against TWU with 8 saves, the ‘Birds defence tightened up against UFV, being in the right spot to block and cut off the Cascades’ attempts to score, and playing with their usual suffocating tenacity.
Nearing the end of the first half, UBC forward Maddy Norman was the one to finally break through the stalemate, scoring the first and deciding goal. Holly Whelan placed a great ball to Gibson, who just passed the centre line with a quick touch and made a great ball to find Norman right in front of the net. She raced into the box with a defender close behind and as the goalie slid forward to cut her off — coming way out to challenge the ‘Birds’ attack — Norman was able to beat her and get the shot off to score and put UBC up 1–0.
UBC midfielder Holly Whelan runs past a UFV player. Whelan’s pass to Gibson to break out of UBC’s end of the field set up the eventual game-winning goal. Courtesy Jordie Arthur / UFV Cascades
Norman’s goal was surely a relief for the T-Birds, not just breaking the tie against UFV, but also breaking an uncharacteristic streak for the team. The Thunderbirds had not scored in the first half in the last two of their games, despite netting a first-half goal in all but one of their games the rest of the season.
Despite a couple of close chances, UBC was not able to net anything else before the first half ended. UFV did a good job staying with them — even holding possession for a stretch right before UBC got their goal — but the ‘Birds were in control of this game.
Early in the second half, the Cascades put the ball right in UBC’s box with a corner. While the T-Birds cleared it with a header, UFV read the bounce as it went out, coming up to smash it toward the net. Despite the dangerous chance, first-year goalkeeper Emma Sparrow — playing this game in place of Beckett, UBC’s usual keeper — dived and was able to get a hand on it to put it out. This was the start of UFV starting to push forward on the attack in the second half.
Sparrow — one of two first-year goalkeepers on the team — did well in the game with three saves. She was also in net the first time they matched up against the Cascades and had a strong but quiet game with two saves. Sparrow played well in the minutes she got, showing real promise as a young player.
Nearing the end of the game, Gibson was taken down just outside the box and earned a free kick in a dangerous position, looking to increase UBC’s lead. The free kick was laid off to Whelan, who shot from off the top of the box, but with a low ball, she just missed the mark, hitting the post.
Soon after, UBC had another chance to make it 2–0 when forward Ava Alexander made a great through pass to Norman, but UFV was able to get in front and deflect the ball out. The Thunderbirds earned the corner taken by Whelan, who directed the ball towards the back post. While UBC was able to get a kick on it, they could not find the back of the net.
Norman and Gibson in particular stood out on offence for the entire game. Gibson was a strong playmaker and did a good job taking the ball up to find opportunities for teammates, while Norman consistently put pressure on the Cascades’ defence as she pushed play up the field — being someone for her teammates to find in front of the net.
In the last few minutes, the play went back and forth as both teams had close chances, but neither had any luck to tie or add to the score. It was the second 1–0 victory of the weekend for UBC and the T-Birds made it another day with no goals against this season, keeping their win streak alive.
This win against the Cascades marks UBC’s last road game of the regular season as they now return home for their last two games, hosting the Victoria Vikes on Oct. 17 and 18 as the T-Birds look to end the regular season strong.
First online Oct. 20, 2025, midnight
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