Stu Walters / UBC Thunderbirds
VANCOUVER – The UBC Thunderbirds women's rugby team scored 17 second-half points en route to a 22-7 victory over the visiting Lethbridge Pronghorns late Friday afternoon at the Gerald McGavin UBC Rugby Centre.
It was a low scoring first half that featured back and forth battles for field position under a mix of sun and cloud on the Point Grey campus. UBC had a 5-0 lead at the break but was able to find another gear midway through the second half to pull away and improve to 2-0 on the young season while the visiting Pronghorns saw their record fall to 0-2.
In the opening 20 minutes UBC enjoyed good possession and managed to get the ball in threatening positions on a couple of occasions but Lethbridge was equal to the task with matching goal-line stands. After the early denials UBC was able to break the deadlock thanks to centre Shoshanah Seumanutafa's try in the 28th minute, Seumanutafa's conversion attempt fell just short but the hosts had claimed a 5-0 lead.
Just before the halftime whistle a concerning hush came over the crowd as UBC's first-year lock Emma Feldinger was involved in a big collision in which she needed medical attention. Feldinger would remain down for the better part of half an hour as all involved took every precaution with her upper body injury until paramedics arrived with a stretcher.
After a lengthy delay the second half began with the Pronghorns showing good energy and possession to start. After some build up play in UBC territory it was the 'Birds that showed some good resilience in denying a couple Lethbridge scoring opportunities.
Approaching the 60th minute UBC would begin to start finding their legs again highlighted with some wide runs from wing Vivianna Johnson to gain prime field position. That's when 'Birds captain Madison Gold seized an opportunity to slalom up the middle from 30 yards out for the try. Seumanutafa was good on the conversion and a 12-0 UBC lead.
Six minutes later back row Lyric Atchison got in the act with a try of her own to increase UBC's lead to 17-0. In minute 73 Seumanutafa would strike again with a stepping up for a surprise intercept at midfield and went the other way untouched for a try. The scorer's conversion attempt would fall just short but the hosts had increased their lead to 22-0.
The Pronghors were down but now out as they responded shortly thereafter in the 76th minute with an impressive show of speed and agility from fourth-year winger Hailey Driscoll who found the edge down the left sideline for the untouched try and the visitors first points of the match. Halfback Caitlin Sears followed up with the conversion and the final points scored on the evening as UBC would secure the 22-7 win.
"It was a tough physical first half for sure and we played too much in the middle of the field," said first-year UBC head coach Dean Murten. "We didn't get the ball wide enough and that's what caused us some problems but Lethbridge was really good and physical and really took it to us."
Murten continued and revealed what he thought changed in the second half.
"We just started to move the ball a little bit, we've got some pace out wide and that's where we went," added Murten. "People think it's easy to do but it's not when you've got a good defence in your face so we just needed to get a little more patience and depth and try and find our speed on the wing and try and break them down. We're quite fit as well which served us well."
The T-Birds now sit at 2-0 for the first time since 2014 and will next host the University of Calgary Dinos next Sunday, September 23 at 1:00 p.m while the Pronghorns get one day to rest before a date with the University of Victoria Vikes on Sunday at 11:30 a.m. in Victoria.
PHOTO: Wilson Wong / UBC Thunderbirds