For the UNBC Timberwolves women's soccer team, the task was daunting. Given that fact, the result wasn't a shocker.
The expansion Timberwolves fell 7-0 to the Trinity Western University Spartans Friday night in Langley. The Spartans stepped onto the field as the third-ranked squad in the country and wasted no time in showing their power. They scored five goals in the first half and never gave the visitors much life.
The Spartans, in first place in the Canada West Universities Athletic Association, bumped their record to 9-1. On the season, they have outscored their opponents 41-3.
The Timberwolves, meanwhile, dropped to 0-8-3.
"We played against a very good team and you have to give credit to them," said UNBC coach Andy Cameron. "We gave up five in the first half and to the girls' credit they came out and kept it to two in the second half.
"They worked hard," Cameron added. "We knew it was going to be a learning curve [this season] and the girls have worked hard in every game. Even though the score was 7-0, it's still a compliment to the team."
At some point in the first half, UNBC goalkeeper Jordan Hall injured a knee. She made it through the half but gave way to Kat Hartwig-Clay in the second. Cameron isn't sure if Hall will be available today when the T-wolves play their season-ending game against the third-place UBC Thunderbirds (6-1-2).
In their most recent outing, the T-birds were held to a 1-1 draw by the Mount Royal University Cougars, who -- like the Timberwolves -- are new to Canada West this season.
"They're susceptible to a tie or a loss," Cameron said of the Thunderbirds. "But we're going to have to look at the bumps and knocks [this morning] and re-organize and see where we can go from there."
Cameron said it's "unbelievable" how quickly the 12-game regular season has gone.
"But we've improved each and every week and that's what it's been about," he said.
The male T-wolves will be in action today and Sunday against the University of the Fraser Valley. The games -- UNBC's final home contests of the season -- will start at noon at North Cariboo fields.
The Timberwolves have a 0-10 record, while Fraser Valley sits at 1-3-4.
