Final match of the season in Kelowna for the Heat has all of the scoring taking place in the first 35 minutes and the visiting Pandas come away with a victory.
Women’s Soccer (Canada West Conference play)
Sunday, October 25th, 2015
Nonis Sports Field, Kelowna, BC
SCORING 1 2 FINAL Alberta (8-5-1) 3 0 3 UBC Okanagan (2-8-4) 1 0 1
KELOWNA, BC - First year forward Kaylin Ferguson’s wonder strike didn’t prove to be enough for the home team as the University of Alberta attcker Terri Kutryk’s two goals helped the visiting Pandas to beat UBC Okanagan team 3-1 on Sunday (Oct. 25) at the Nonis Sports Field in the final women’s soccer match of the year for the Heat.
Pandas midfielder Morgan Corbett opened the scoring for the visiting side in the 15th minute of the game which was immediqately followed by Kutryk scoring her first goal of the in the 16th minute of the game. Rookie Ferguson brought the hosts back into the game in the 33rd minute with an astonishing strike from a distance that beat the Pandas’ goalkeeper. Alberta answered quickly however, Kutryk got her her second goal of the game in the 36th minute to put the visiting Pandas in a commanding position. Each of the four goals came in the first half of the match.
The Heat goalkeeper Francesca Balletta had a brilliant game having a total of ten saves including two brilliant reflex saves, one in each half. The Pandas found it difficult to score past her in the second half. Balletta made a crucial save midway through the second only for the ball to be cleared off the lines by a Heat defender.
Corbett’s goal in the 15th minute came when the midfielder finished past the Heat goalkeeper into the bottom corner after she was found by a pass by midfielder Annalise Schellenberg.
The Pandas were relentless and continued their attacking when a through ball by midfielder Kristen Livingstone allowed striker Kutryk to finish into an open net, giving no chance to goalkeeper Balletta as well as the UBC Okanagan backline.
The goal of the game however, came in the 33rd minute when two rookies connected for an electrfying goal. Heat midfielder Madelyn Ellis’s pass met Ferguson who curled the ball into the top left corner of the net from outside the 18-yard box, leaving the Pandas’ goalkeeper Jamie Misiaszek no chance for a save. Ferguson’s brilliant strike was her third goal of the season, and for the second time of the year the first year player was named the UBC Okanagan player of teh match.
The visiting side however were quick to react as Kutryk went on to get her second goal of the game in the 36th minute after she was found by midfielder Schellenberg who provided her second assist of the afternoon. For Scellenberg's efforts shw was awarded the Alberta player of the match.
The best opportunity for Heat came in the opening minutes of the second half when senior player Mairi Horth, who was playing her final game as a Heat player, provided a short pass to two incoming strikers in the 18 yard box but none of them were able to make contact with the ball.
The Pandas have successfully made it into the playoffs securing 25 points in the 14 game conference schedule. Their campaign so far has seen them win on eight occasions and the will open up the post-season in Langley in an matchup with the Trinity Western Spartans on Sat. Oct. 31.
The UBC Okanagan Heat played their final game of the season and finish with a (2-8-4) conference record, one more win then their 2014 campaingn. As this was the last match the Heat honoured graduating senior players Mairi Horth and Michelle Smith prior to the match.
~ Nimai Trivadi // Heat communications
Two graduating players play last games at UBC Okanagan
The soccer season closed this Sunday at the Nonis turf for UBC Okanagan soccer teams after the women finished their match against the University of Alberta. Prior to the match got underway and after the team introductions the Director of Athletics and Recreation here at UBC's Okanagan campus, Rob Johnson honoured the pair of graduating players with a few words as they were presented with a large framed photo.
Mairi Horth (MID/FWD, Ladysmith, BC) and Michelle Smith (MID, Vernon, BC) have each called it a career for the UBC Okanagan women's soccer program and will hang up the cleats and put away the blue and gold of the Heat after today.
Mairi Horth
- a graduate of Brentwood College and from Ladysmith, BC will graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing
- going to Africa in March for 5 weeks for her last nursing practicum
- played four years was named 'Rookie of the Year' and a Provincial All-Star and 3 provincial medals (2 silver, 1 bronze)
- started every match the last two years. Co-caption in 2015. Played in 56 conference matches for UBCO scoring 5 career goals
Q and A with Mairi:
How was your last season as a Heat player? It was really good, I really enjoyed it. I thought it was a hard year for us, we were a pretty young team so I think for us it was just learning and getting to know everyone really well, just learning how to play with each other. I think it was good year in the sense that we started to build off each other. So I feel like we started setting the concrete down for the following years. We had our high moments like tying Trinity Western, which is huge for us, and I think we ended on a high note.
What was your favorite Heat memory? I think it would be this year when we tied Trinity Western, I think for me that was a wow moment.
What have you learned as a Heat player these past four years? Well my team were my first friends at university and they’re also kind of your second family too so you have them on and off the field to support you in whatever you do. It’s such a special part of going to university and being an athlete, being on a team, it’s much more than just playing the sport, it’s the people who you’re playing with too.
Michelle Smith
- a graduate of Vernon Secondary and will graduate in June with a Bachelor of Science
- played in 64 conference matches. Scored 16 career goals. Second most in the school's history (A. Kennedy-21)
- was a provincial all-star and won 3 provincial medals (2 silver, 1 bronze)
- was a backup keeper for UBC Okanagan for a time and scored many of her goals via the header
Q and A with Michelle
How was your last season as a Heat player? I would say that is was very very fun, we had a tough end of the season. We did pretty well in the beginning and we sort of fell apart a little bit in our home games but then these last couple games we picked it back up. Overall it was very fun.
What is your best Heat memory? I would have to say, my first year was really special cause we won like every game. Yeah, probably my first year was the best. (Editors note: 2011/12 was her first year. (8-1-2) in PACWEST then won provincial silver on home turf.)
What have you learned being a Heat athlete? I learnt that your teammates are your best friends, that’s the biggest thing I learned.
