Thursday night in Abbotsford the UNBC Timberwolves (0-3-0) put forth a solid effort – one truly worthy of victory. Unfortunately the UFV Cascades (1-2-0) did just enough to earn their first victory of the season, holding off UNBC by a 2-1 score. UNBC's first goal of the season came during second-half stoppage time when Scarlet Thomas rifled home her first career Canada West marker on a penalty kick. UFV countered with goals from Eesha Mudaliar and Kiana Langston. Once again goalkeeping for UNBC was a positive story as Johanna Rathke turned aside 14 UFV shots. She was especially brilliant in the first-half, making two incredible point-blank saves off of Langston. At the other end UNBC produced a season-high 15 shots – 10 of which ended up on target.

In the early moments of their first road contest of the season, Neil Sedgwick's crew looked solid and composed. The Timberwolves were patient defensively, and when the opportunity presented itself, they did not hesitate to send long through balls through the middle of the field – most of which did connect for some speedy looks down the wing. UNBC finished the first half with two shots on target – both of which came off the boot of Kate Rattee.

At the other end, Kiana Langston had three shots on target for UFV and two of those looks were point-blank chances that were denied by Rathke.
Rathke's first 'Grade A' save off Langston came in the 16^th minute, and another one followed in the 32^nd minute. As the second of the first half ticked down, it looked likely that the teams would remain 0-0.

That changed in the 43^rd minute off a set piece. UFV's Camryn Lyon sent a long, high ball into the penalty area from the back-third of the pitch. UNBC knocked the high ball down, but right to the waiting foot of Mudaliar. Mudaliar's low shot switched direction and snuck past Rathke giving UFV their first goal of the season.
 
The score at half remained 1-0 for UFV.
 
The TWolves amped up the energy in the second half and it resulted in five shots on target within the first 17 minutes. Grace Barrett, who entered the match as a half-time substitute had three of the five chances and came especially close in the 62^nd minute to recording her first career Canada West goal. Five minutes earlier, rookie RJ Barfoot dinged one off the post. The young Timberwolves literally did everything but score.
 
Then, in the 65^th minute, UFV snagged momentum back when Langston, on her fourth shot-on-target of the night, finally solved Rathke.
 
Despite the two-goal deficit, the TWolves remained urgent for the duration of the match, and in the early minutes of stoppage time, that urgency was rewarded with a penalty kick.
 
Rookie RJ Barfoot unfortunately was on the receiving end of a collision in the penalty area. Due to injury, Barfoot's penalty kick was taken by Scarlet Thomas and the second-year from Sydney made no mistake! Thomas angled a low shot inside the left bar and by Chen to secure her first career Canada West goal.
 
Unfortunately that's as close as UNBC would get on Thursday as there just simply wasn't enough stoppage time remaining to complete their comeback.
 
It was an encouraging effort none the less for Sedgwick's crew, and they'll get right back at it tomorrow at 5:30 against the same UFV squad.