KELOWNA, B.C. - Fourth-year forward
Abigail Taneda scored three minutes into stoppage-time on Friday night to lift the UBC Okanagan Heat women's soccer team to a 2-1 victory over the Mount Royal Cougars on Homecoming at Nonis Sports Field.
Playing in front of over 700 fans as alumni and students packed Nonis Field for the annual Homecoming soccer game, Taneda, a native of West Kelowna, B.C., sent the crowd into a frenzy as she took a pass from Eleni Georgecacos of Calgary, and fired a shot into the top corner past Cougars keeper Ella Filek of Calgary, to give UBCO the victory.
"It felt amazing," said Taneda after the win. "To score that goal in front of that crowd, for my team, that's really what matters most."
On a sunny but cool evening in the Okanagan, the Heat (3-3-0) and Cougars (1-4-1) put on a show for the energetic crowd.
In their usual fashion, UBCO controlled possession early as Mount Royal was content to sit in a defensive 4-5-1 shape and force the Heat to play through their defensive shell.
However, the Heat pounced early despite the Cougars defensive shape as
Sydney Kolodziej of Kelowna, B.C., made a great run behind her defenders, taking a feed from
Nina Louis of Vancouver, B.C. Kolodziej then fed the ball across Filek to a wide-open Braxtyn Cantana of Calgary, who calmly side-footed the ball into the yawning cage giving the hosts a 1-0 lead.
For Cantana, the goal was the first of her Heat career.
Despite going down early, the Cougars would not be deterred as less than 10 minutes later, Gabrielle Linford of Sherwood Park, Alta., jumped on a turnover before finding the back of the net to even the scoreline.
The Heat would push for a second before the end of the opening half at it was Louis once again in the heart of the action as her shot from distance in the 38
th minute was pushed off the bar and out by Filek to keep the score even after 45 minutes.
That scoreline would hold throughout the second half until the action ramped up in the final minutes.
Once again, it was Linford leading the charge for the Cougars as she pounced on an opportunity early in stoppage time. Her shot from the top of the box was parried away by a diving
Talia Gagnon of Dieppe, N.B., to keep victory within reach for the Heat.
That was when Taneda scored one of the most memorable goals of her career, calmly finishing her chance late and helping her team snap their three-game losing skid.
"The energy was just insane tonight," added Taneda on the atmosphere on Homecoming. "It's so nice having so much support from everyone, having the alum and students out. It's just amazing."
Gagnon would earn her third win of the season as she finished with two saves, while Filek took the loss, also making two saves.
The win also moved the Heat into sole possession of third place in the Pacific division standings, sitting on nine points, two back of second-place Victoria (3-1-2).
The Heat will now turn their attention to the Vikes who come to Kelowna on Saturday after playing to a 1-1 draw with the Thomson Rivers WolfPack on Friday in Kamloops.
Kickoff is set for 5:30 p.m. at Nonis Sports Field and tickets are free for everyone.
