UBC One Win From the Canada West Crown as the Vikes Come to Town
One win. That’s all the UBC Thunderbirds need.
Victoria’s Vikes arrive at Wright Field this weekend for two games, Saturday and Sunday, both starting at 11am Pacific time, with the Canada West crown and a trip to the national championship on the line. UBC need just one win from the two contests to wrap up the conference title. After seven straight games unbeaten, they’ve got one hand on the trophy. They just can’t say it yet.
“We’ve got one hand on the trophy, but we’re not there yet,” coach Matthews said. “We’ll just focus on the first game on Saturday, get the best result we can, and then we’ll go from there.”
The form guide favours the hosts. UBC are 5-0-1 after last weekend’s 5-0 demolition of Calgary: Puneet Litt opened the scoring in the 24th minute, Sukhman Hundal’s penalty corner made it two (her fourth goal of the season, a team high), Kenzie Girgis converted two penalty strokes either side of Mackenna Brown’s strike. Back-to-back clean sheets, goals in every quarter, and a defence that held firm when Calgary pushed early.
But the history favours the visitors. Victoria have won five of the last six meetings between these sides. The one exception is the one UBC fans will never forget: last November’s national championship final, when the Thunderbirds beat the Vikes to lift the U SPORTS title. Victoria have had UBC’s number in the regular season. UBC have the last word where it matters most.
Sunday’s game doubles as Seniors’ Day, with UBC recognising graduating players Kenzie Girgis, Hazel Taylor, Riley Brown, Shyana Ringma and Harnoor Malhi. Win on Saturday and the Sunday send-off becomes a celebration. Lose, and it becomes the most stressful farewell in program history.
The winners go to the U SPORTS national championship in Waterloo in early November. Two games, one banner, everything on the line.
Our take
UBC at home, one win needed, seniors to honour: everything points to Saturday being the day they seal it. But Victoria are exactly the team that ruins these scripts, and five wins in six meetings is not a stat you wave away. If the Vikes take Saturday, Sunday becomes box office.
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