Stu Walters, UBC Thunderbirds
VANCOUVER – The UBC Thunderbirds women's rugby team opened the Canada West regular season in dramatic fashion Sunday, completing the second half comeback by scoring the final two tries of the game and upsetting the University of Victoria Vikes 26-24.
It was an intense hard-hitting affair under mostly rainy skies early Sunday afternoon at the Gerald McGavin UBC Rugby Centre that saw UVic enjoy the lead for the lion share of the first 71 minutes of the match. Adding to the stakes was the Legends Cup on site as it was the second game of the recently announced rivalry series between the schools. With two points for today's win UBC enjoys a 4-0 early season advantage over UVic following a T-Birds win in women's soccer to kick off the series two weeks ago.
The Vikes came into action as the favorite on the strength of being voted the number one ranked team in the preseason Canada West coaches' poll but UBC, ranked fourth and under the guidance of first year head coach Dean Murten were equal to the task.
It was UVic that would set the early tone marching down field with purpose on their first possession with flanker Renee Gonzales crossing the goal line for a try just three minutes in while Maddy Aber followed up with the convert for a 7-0 advantage. Following some back and forth play eight minutes later it would be T-Birds responding as captain Madison Gold found a hole up the middle and pulled away for the score. Shoshanah Seumanutafa was good on the convert and a 7-7 tie.
What followed was another methodical drive by the visitors capped off by lock Zoe Goodwin-Sutton scoring and an Aberg convert for a 14-7 UVic lead. UBC would respond yet again with a slugging individual run along the right sideline from fullback Nicole Mallow, who was shedding tacklers en route to just punching it over the goal line. The 'Birds missed the convert from a very sharp angle and found themselves within two, trailing 14-12. Just ahead of halftime UVic would increase their lead by three to 17-12 in the 38th minute thanks to Maddy Aberg's penalty goal.
On the other side of the break it was the Vikes striking again to extend their lead in minute 44 as winger Linnea Dalvi displayed her blazing speed after picking up the ball near midfield, she went wide left to get the edge and scampered untouched for the score. Aberg's third conversion stretched the lead 24-12.
Down by 12 points the 'Birds didn't get discouraged and kept the battle level high, in the 61st minute deep in opposing territory the hosts were awarded a penalty try courtesy of back row Lyric Atchison due to UVic being offside at the scrum. The full seven points on the spot pulled UBC within five at 24-19 and the promise for an intense finish with just under 20 minutes to play.
The deciding moment came in the 71st minute with the T-Birds grinding away in UVic territory, first-year lock Emma Feldinger changed the pace and perhaps caught some off guard by cutting right up the gut for a slicing score to tie the game at 24 all. Seumanutafa's third convert of the match was the difference giving the blue and gold a 26-24 lead, their first of the game and one they would not relinquish en route to an opening season victory.
"I'm very proud of the effort, it was everything that we'd ask them to do and more," said UBC coach Dean Murten. "A lot of courage a lot of physical rugby out there and just what I wanted them to do so I'm really happy with them. UVic are a good team and they were very physical and that's one thing that we said we wanted to do is match them in the physicality and we did that and they suffered a few injuries so it means we did well in the collisions. We started to come back and get on top late and I thought it was an outstanding performance from the team."
Murten was then asked if his fourth ranked squad surprised him today.
"Not really to be quite honest, you know some people are saying that we're not going to be that competitive and we just said we'll do what we can do," continued Murten. "I know there are some great players out there and they showed it with hard work and commitment and that's what we've said we've got to do. We've got to give everything we've got and that's all I can ask them to do and they did that for me today."
The Vikes will look to rebound next weekend when they host Lethbridge on Sunday, September 16 at 11:30 a.m. at Wallace Field. Meanwhile the T-Birds will go in search of a second straight victory in welcoming that same Lethbridge team two days earlier, this Friday, September 14 at 4 p.m.
PHOTO: Bob Frid/UBC Thunderbirds