Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 | Box Score 3 | Box Score 4 Welcome to our Heat Competitive Sport Clubs weekend recap where we'll look back at the results for our softball and men's rugby teams.
 
SOFTBALL
 
The UBC Okanagan Heat softball team picked up three wins this past weekend as they battled WCSA competition in Lethbridge.
 
The Heat played three games on Saturday, picking up a big 14-0 win over Mount Royal in just 3.5 innings of action but dropped contests to both Regina and Victoria.
 
However, the team bounced back with a pair of blowout wins over Lethbridge and Regina to close out the weekend with an 8-6-1 overall record.
 
UBCO Athlete of the Week Cheyenne Simicak of Surrey, B.C., continued her monster season with another big weekend at the plate for the Heat. The third-year infielder hit .500 over the five games, going 8-for-16 at the plate, while hitting two home runs and posting 11 RBI. She also added two doubles to raise her season average to .429. She now has 18 RBI on the season, a new career-best.
 
Fellow infielder Taryn Lamb of Kelowna, B.C., was also a threat each time she stepped to the plate, collecting at least one hit in every game, while also hitting two home runs, including a grand slam against Lethbridge, and adding eight RBI.
 
The Heat will turn their preparations this week to their host weekend as they get set to play six games at High Noon Park to close out the regular season. The first action of the weekend gets underway on Friday night, September 27 when UBCO hosts Mount Royal with first pitch set for 5 p.m. Visit the women's softball schedule page for a complete game schedule for the weekend.
 
Men's Rugby
 
On a warm and sunny Sunday Calgary morning, the Heat played their opening game of the season at Mount Royal University. With a large influx of new and first year players this season, coaches were excited to see how this new team would come together to execute this week's gameplan. 
 
As the game kicked off, UBCO settled into their patterns of play early. Moving the ball forwards consistently, putting MRU under pressure with their physical ball carrying and consistent ruck support. Brendan Christian secured the first turnover of the game for UBCO, pouncing on the loose ball. Four phases of play later, the UBCO forwards, led by a storming run from Jason Sendall, moved the team into the MRU 22. With quickly recycled ball, UBCO's Etham Cummings crossed for the opening try of this year's campaign eight minutes into the game. Nathan Holmes was unable to add the extra two points with his first conversion attempt of the season. 
 
Jairen Dhaliwal built upon this early success with several strong carries up the middle of the field. His second such run of the game triggered UBCO's second try scored by Jack McCallum. McCallum received the ball close to the sideline, broke two tackles showing a clean pair of heels, and scored under the posts in the eleventh minute of the game. Holmes stepped up to knock through the conversion attempt stretching UBCO's lead to 12-0. 
 
In the 32nd minute of the game, UBCO's James Van der Ross pounced on a poor clearing kick from MRU. James scooped up the ball and outpaced the trailing defenders to score UBCO's 3rd try of the first half. UBCO now lead 17-0 
 
MRU retaliated with a period of sustained pressure inside UBCO's 22. This led to a number of penalties and a team yellow card for Jef Vreys. MRU took advantage of the extra player to work the ball across the tryline in the 37th minute of the first half. MRU were successful with their conversion attempt taking the score to 17-7 for UBCO. 
 
In the dying seconds of the first half, team captain Patrick Willams was able to work the ball across the line for a try, swinging the momentum back in UBCO's favor. Vice-Captain Holmes stepped up to kick the conversion making the half time score 24-7
 
The second half began with UBCO scoring their 5th try of the game in the 49th minute. Vreys, fresh from his 10-minute hiatus in the sin bin returned to the field with a point to prove. Vreys carried the ball through contact in the wide channels to score a well-deserved try. Fly half Holmes recycled the ball quickly, providing Vreys with his opportunity to cross the tryline and grow UBCO's lead. Holmes added two points with a successful conversion. 
 
In the 52nd Minute, UBCO successfully stole the ball from a MRU over throw at the lineout. Holmes moved the ball wide early, with the ball reaching winger MacCallum in the 15-meter channel. McCallum worked to beat his man on the outside before offloading the ball to a supporting first year, Matt Harris. Harris was able to carry the ball into the MRU half before offloading to fellow first year Theo Phillips. Phillips weaved his way through the scrambling MRU defence to find his way to the try line for UBCO's sixth try taking the score to 38-7 for UBCO. 
 
UBCO continued to dominate both territory and possession as the game moved into its final 10 minutes. With predominantly first and second year players now on the field, the team worked to maintain the lead and close out the game. As the UBCO defence continued to put MRU under pressure. Matt Harris was able to pounce on a loose ball, running in for his first try as a member of the UBCO Heat Varsity squad. With a final score of 43-7, UBCO coaches and players left Calgary happy with the performance and acknowledging there is a lot of room for improvement in their next outing. 
 
UBCO will take on SAIT in their first home game hosted at Parkinson Recreation Center on September 28th. Kickoff is at 11 am on field P8. Come on down and cheer on your UBCO Heat as they look to advance to a 2-0 start to their 2024 season.