Taneda's record-setting assist helps women's soccer earn draw with Mount Royal
UBCO Heat sports report for October 18th to 20th
The UBC Okanagan Heat women's soccer team extended their point streak to four games on Sunday afternoon as they closed out their regular season schedule with a 1-1 draw with the Mount Royal Cougars.
After falling behind early in the opening half, defender Sophie Campbell of Surrey, B.C., helped ensure a point for the Heat.
In the 65th minute, the fourth-year centreback found herself all alone at the back post on a corner kick and she promptly deposited a header off a perfect ball from Abigail Taneda of West Kelowna, B.C., to even the score at one. The goal was Campbell's first of the season, and third of her career.
Meanwhile, the assist from Taneda was a milestone helper for the dynamic forward as she moved into first place on UBCO's career scoring list with her 21st point in a Heat uniform. The fourth-year science major how has six goals and 15 assists in 49 career games, besting the previous record of 20 points held by former teammate Stefanie Young of Kelowna, B.C.
Goalkeeper Talia Gagnon of Dieppe, N.B., put her team in a position to earn the draw thanks to a remarkable reaction save late in the opening half, throwing out her right arm to deny a great chance for the Cougars.
The effort was one of six saves she made in the contest, giving her 61 saves on the season, fifth-best in all of Canada West. She also finishes the season with a .803 save percentage, sixth-best in the conference.
The draw leave UBCO (6-5-3) in fourth place in the Pacific division standings, meaning they will meet the first-place team in the Prairie division, the Calgary Dinos (11-2-1), in the Canada West quarter-finals next weekend.
_____________________________
Women's basketball wraps up preseason with pair of wins over MacEwan
- The UBC Okanagan Heat women's basketball team closed out their 2024 preseason with two wins over the MacEwan Griffins, picking up a 75-40 win on Thursday evening before adding a 59-47 win on Friday night.
In the opener between the Heat and Griffins on Thursday, UBCO used a big opening half, outscoring the Griffins 45-16, en route to a 35-point victory.
Senior guard Lauren Foullong of Orangeville, Ont., went off for the Heat, scoring 18 points on 7-of-9 shooting from the floor, including 4-of-5 from three-point range.
Lily Pink of Kelowna, B.C., and Abby Smith of Winnipeg, each added 11 points as 10 different Heat players found the scoresheet in the win.
Friday night's game was a much tighter affair as the Heat held just a four-point lead at halftime but a 12-2 run coming out of the half gave UBCO a comfortable lead that they would not relinquish to sweep the two-game series.
Pink was a force again for the Heat, finishing with 18 points, six rebounds and six steals, while rookie guard Tsuki Tsuzuki of Calgary, continued her strong preseason with 18 points, including hitting 4-of-8 three-point attempts, to go along with four assists and three rebounds.
UBCO, a Canada West quarter-finalist in 2023-24, will now turn their eyes towards the regular season which tips off on Halloween night, Thursday, October 31, with the Heat taking on the Thompson Rivers WolfPack in Kamloops. Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m. and the game can be seen live on CanadaWest.tv.
___________________
Gagnon stands tall to send women's soccer to the Canada West playoffs
Talia Gagnon made eight saves as the UBC Okanagan Heat women's soccer team clinched a playoff spot thanks to a 0-0 draw with the Victoria Vikes on a rainy Friday evening at Centennial Stadium.
Gagnon, a native of Dieppe, N.B., was particularly strong in the opening half, making six saves as the host Vikes outshot the Heat 9-2. Her best in the half came in the 29th minute when she made a diving save just moments after a wild scramble in the Heat box off a Victoria corner.
She would continue to shine in the second half, making two more saves, including a big save in the 58th minute off a hard shot from Ruby Nicholas of Quesnel, B.C., to pick up her third clean sheet of the season.
On the other end of the pitch, Kayley Lindstone of Victoria, earned the shutout as she made two stops, both in the opening 45 minutes, denying the Heat's Alyssa Scott of North Vancouver, B.C., and Abigail Taneda of West Kelowna, B.C.
The draw, combined with Mount Royal's victory over Thompson Rivers, clinched the Heat their second consecutive Canada West playoff berth. UBCO (6-5-2) sits three points back of the Vikes (6-2-5) for third place in the Pacific division with one game remaining for both teams.
