The UNBC Timberwolves are not afraid of bears.
Still searching for their first CIS victory, the women's squad aims to prove that tonight at North Cariboo Field when they take on the the University of Alberta Pandas (7 p.m. start).
The Pandas have had some early success in the Canada West Conference and will try to improve on their 2-0-1 record at the expense of the T-wolves (0-2-0), who opened the 2013 season on the road last weekend, losing 2-0 to Fraser Valley and 4-1 to Victoria.
The first-place Pandas are coming off a 4-1 win Wednesday over the Mount Royal University Cougars in Calgary. They started the season by defeating the Lethbridge Pronghorns, 6-0, then tied the Calgary Dinos 3-3.
Alberta has two Canada West all-stars from 2012 on defence, Victoria Saccomani and Shalla Kadima, as well as NCAA veteran forward Julia Ignacio. Ignacio joined the Pandas this year after 42 games in the NCAA with the University of Memphis. The native of Edmonton scored three times against Mount Royal.
Another key addition is forward Katie Wilkinson, who played in the NCAA last season for Coastal Carolina University. Goalkeeper Kelti Briggs is back for a fourth season for the team that finished sixth in Canada West in 2012 with a 7-2-3 record.
The T-wolves will host Mount Royal on Sunday at noon at North Cariboo Field.
n The UNBC men (0-2-0) have the weekend off. They'll host Winnipeg and Mount Royal next weekend at North Cariboo Field.
