Box Score RECAP: Heat drop Saturday matinee in Prince George, 3-0
PRINCE GEORGE, B.C. - Pressing for the equalizer, UBC Okanagan give up two goals to UNBC late in the match and drop their second straight road decision. The Timberwolves women's soccer team used a pair of goals from Sofia Jones, as well as the first career tally for Claire Turner, to blank the Heat 3-0 on Saturday, September 7 in Prince George, B.C.
Just 13 minutes in, off a throw-in from Mikaela Cadorette in the Heat third, Jones was able to beat a UBCO defender before fooling Emma Terrillon short-side. The goal was the first of the season for the San Francisco product, and made it 1-0 early on.
UBCO did well to bounce back through the remainder of the half, as they began to possess the ball and hem the home side into their side of the pitch. Near the end of the first half, Jillian Hunt and Aurora Gardiner both had good chances to put the Heat on the board, but couldn't end UNBC keeper Madi Doyle's clean sheet.
"I thought we controlled the play, but they were pretty connected," said UBCO's Maya Bandy. "They had a good platform through the middle. They're a good passing team and they have a strong centreback, so we had a tough time getting through there."
In the 80th minute, with the Heat pushing up in search of the equalizer, Payne found Jones with a ball just over the head of a UBCO defender, earning her second goal of the match.
The third goal of the game for UNBC came when 5th year Julia Babicz used her speed wide, before setting up the freshman Turner in the box who one-touched it past Terrillon for the first goal of her Canada West career.
When the referee blew the final whistle, shots favoured the home side 13-8, with an 8-5 margin on goal. Madi Doyle earned a clean sheet with four saves, while Terrillon also turned aside four shots.
"We need to be quicker on the ball. They give us space but we didn't move it fast," said Bandy. "We need to stay connected. Use what they give us. Just try to control the game more."
UNBC improves to 2-0-0 on the season, while UBCO sees their record fall to 0-2-0 on the Canada West year.
The Heat play their home opener against the Alberta Pandas this Friday evening, and then host the MacEwan Griffins on Saturday. Both matches start at 5:30 p.m. on the Nonis Sports Field in Kelowna.
~ Seyara Campbell, Heat Sports Information / With notes from Rich Abney, UNBC Athletics
