PRINCE GEORGE, B.C. – The CIS No. 2 UBC Thunderbirds played a controlled game en route to a 2-0 victory over the UNBC Timberwolves, extending their winning streak over UNBC to seven straight matches.
Kerman Pannu and Sean Einarsson scored for the Thunderbirds (5-0-1), who overtook the idle University of Victoria Vikes for first place in the Pacific Division with the victory.
Chad Bush had a tidy performance in the UBC goal, stopping all five UNBC shots on target for the clean sheet.
Tyrone Venhola also put up a strong performance for the Timberwolves (1-6-0), turning aside eight of the 10 Thunderbird attempts he faced.
The Thunderbirds got the ball rolling in the 17th minute on a bit of a strange play. In a scrum just outside the 18-yard box, Pannu turned and fired a shot with three Timberwolves surrounding him. The ball appeared to deflect off a player before knuckling over an outstretched Venhola, giving UBC the one-goal advantage.
UNBC had a golden opportunity immediately after the goal with a free kick just outside the 18-yard box, but Brett Bobier's shot was off the mark.
The Timberwolves had their fair share of opportunities to close out the first half, but they couldn't find a way to solve Bush, and the Thunderbirds carried the 1-0 advantage into halftime.
UBC extended its lead early in the second half. Off a deep ball from Bryan Fong, Lucas Reis tapped the ball to a streaking Sean Einarsson, who deked around Venhola and tucked the ball into the open net, putting the Thunderbirds up 2-0 through 53 minutes.
The Thunderbirds had an opportunity to put the game away in the 72nd minute, as Bobier brought Justin Wallace down in the box. However, Venhola stopped the ensuing penalty kick attempt, pushing the ball off the post and grabbing the loose ball before UBC could capitalize.
However, the Timberwolves would get no closer, and they will try to even things up on Sunday, as UNBC and UBC clash again at 2:15 p.m.
UNBC should get a boost in the form of Dan Goodey, who will return from a one-match suspension for receiving a red card against the University of the Fraser Valley Cascades on Sept. 27.