Friday night at Masich Place Stadium in front of a frenzied Tailgate Party crowd, the UNBC Timberwolves put forth a solid effort against the reigning National Champs. First-year goalkeeper Johanna Rathke set a new season-high with 17 saves, but in the end the T-Birds prevailed 3-0. Ella Sunde and Holly Whelan were credited with goals for the visitors who were also benefited from a UNBC own-goal that happened in the 66^th minute. Both UNBC shots on the night came from Kate Rattee.

In the opening 15 minutes, UBC dictated the tempo and enjoyed the lion's share of territory, but there was no sense of panic from the Timberwolves. Neil Sedgwick's side stayed organized, compact, and disciplined, absorbing pressure and waiting for their moments.

Coming into Friday's clash, UNBC's Rathke already sat atop Canada West with 42 saves — an incredible 24 clear of the next closest keeper — and she showed exactly why. The German rookie turned aside all 11 shots she faced in the opening half, frustrating the defending champions time and again.

Her finest moment came midway through the frame, her sixth stop of the night, when a loose ball in the area fell kindly for Sunde. In a chaotic scramble, Rathke reacted sharply, throwing herself to the right to keep the ball out and keep the match level.

Buoyed by their keeper's heroics, UNBC began to grow into the game, carving out a couple of nervy moments for the UBC backline as the half wore on. The spark came from Rattee, who found herself in space twice in quick succession — first in the 33rd minute, bending an effort just wide of the far post, and then three minutes later, forcing a strong stop from UBC's Emma Sparrow from inside the penalty area.

Nil-nil at the break, the frenzied tailgate crowd at Masich Place Stadium rose to its feet, rewarding the TWolves with a deserved ovation for a determined first 45.
The deadlock finally broke in the 56th minute, when UBC were awarded a penalty. Sunde stepped up and coolly dispatched it into the bottom right corner. Rathke guessed correctly, diving full-stretch, but couldn't quite get a glove to it.

UBC doubled their advantage in the 66th minute when Celina Sieber Espidio nabbed her first career Canada West goal. Her shot deflected off a Timberwolf defender and in. No assist was credited on the play.

The visitors put the result beyond doubt in the 79th, when Holly Whelan muscled her way past a pair of defenders and tucked a low strike past the outstretched Rathke to make it 3-0.
When the final whistle blew, the scoreboard read 3–0 in favour of the Thunderbirds, who outshot the Timberwolves 23-2 on the night. Rathke turned aside 17 attempts — a new season-high — in yet another standout performance.

The two sides will meet again on Sunday at noon, with Masich Place Stadium once again playing host to the rematch.