Second-half goals from Annabelle Walker and Stefanie Young proved to be the difference for the UBC Okanagan Heat women's soccer team on Sunday as they knocked off the UFV Cascades by a score of 2-1.
Thanks to their win, the UBCO improves to 6-3-2 on the season and moved two-points ahead of the Cascades into a tie with the Victoria Vikes for third in the Pacific division standings.
The Heat played a confident possession game in the first half with strong defence and notable saves from Dieppe, N.B. goalkeeper Talia Gagnon, who kept the score at 0-0 heading into the second half.
Walker, a rookie from Calgary, wasted little time in the second half in putting the Heat on the scoreboard thanks to an impressive individual effort in the 54th minute of the game, cutting around two defenders before finishing at the near post.
In the 66th minute of the game, Young, a native of Kelowna, rocketed the ball between the pipes with an assist from Sonia Sarai, of New Westminster, B.C. The goal was her 13th of the season, moving her into a tie for top spot in all of U SPORTS, and gave the Heat a two-goal cushion.
The Cascades would pull one back minutes later but UBCO would shut them down the rest of the way to pick up the victory.
TOP PERFORMERS
Annabelle Walker - UBCO Heat
The first-year forward took the initiative in the contest and put the Heat on the board with an intricate solo goal for her second tally of the season.
Madison Telmer - UFV Cascades
The first-year midfielder scored the lone goal for the Cascades this afternoon, also her second goal of the season.
WHERE THEY SIT
This afternoon's victory was a big one for UBCO as they kept pace with the division leaders as the push for the playoffs continues with just three games remaining on the season. Meanwhile, the Cascades fall into fifth in the division with a 5-3-3 record.
UP NEXT
The Heat are on the road again next weekend to face off against the Thompson Rivers Wolfpack in their second Presidents' Cup showdown of the season. Kickoff is on Friday, October 6th in Kamloops, B.C. at 5 p.m. Catch the action live on Canada West TV.