Paul Cartledge - Golden Bears and Pandas Athletics

EDMONTON - In an important Top 10 matchup, sophomore forward Madison Szafranski put home a golden opportunity to pot the game-winner, giving the No.8 University of Alberta Pandas a momentous 2-1 win over the No.3 UBC Thunderbirds, Saturday afternoon at Foote Field.

Joining Szafranski on the scoresheet for the home team was third-year midfielder Aly Parth, improving Alberta's record to 8-1-2, leaving the Pandas one more win away from clinching the Prairie division title.

Fourth-year forward Margaret Hadley scored the lone goal for the visitors, the Alberta defence holding off Canada West leading scorer, Jasmin Dhanda. The loss drops UBC to 7-2-2, the T-birds falling a bit behind the Victoria Vikes and Trinity Western Spartans in the Pacific division standings.

The Pandas opened the scoring in the 26th minute when a shot by sophomore midfielder Anna Dunn got blocked at the edge of the 18-yard box, the ball ricocheting directly out to Parth who one-timed a 30-yard strike that arcs over senior netminder Marlee Maracle and into the far corner for the 1-0 lead.

It didn't take long for UBC to respond, however, rookie forward Danielle Steer challenging fourth-year goaltender Rebecca Reif for a ball in the 33rd minute, taking both of them out of the play so that Hadley had no trouble firing the loose ball in the crease into the back of the net.

With a less offensively-charged second half, it seemed only the right opportunity would break the tie and Szafranski did exactly that in the 75th minute after fourth-year forward Sydney Daines fired a long ball off the crossbar, deflecting right to Edmonton-born Szafranski who tapped it home for the game-winning tally.

The Pandas will play their last regular season home game tomorrow against the No.6 Victoria Vikes, starting at 12:00 p.m. MT while the UBC Thunderbirds head south for their final road game of the year, facing off against the Mount Royal Cougars at 11:00 a.m. MT.