A regular-season win still eludes the UNBC Timberwolves women's soccer program.
The T-wolves (0-4) dropped their fourth game of the Canada West season at the North Cariboo men's soccer fields Sunday afternoon, a 2-1 defeat to the Mount Royal Cougars (2-2). It was a disappointing loss for the T-wolves coming after they battled hard against the powerhouse Alberta Pandas (3-0-1) in Friday's 2-0 loss.
UNBC head coach Andy Cameron said heading into the game the women believed they had a good chance to earn their first regular-season victory since October 2009 when the T-wolves were in the B.C. Colleges Athletic Association.
"It wasn't our best effort," said Cameron. "I thought the girls were pretty excited about the possibility of a win and maybe we put a bit of pressure on ourselves."
Last year, against their Canada West expansion cousins from Calgary, the T-wolves gave up a 2-0 advantage and had to settle for a 2-2 draw when they visited Mount Royal.
"We weren't in a position to take the game for granted, but at the same time we had our chances and we could've gotten a better result," said Cameron, adding the Cougars fired the second highest shots against the T-wolves last season at 43. "They got goals when they had chances and we had a couple balls that were knocked off the goal line. If we're going to dictate a game we've got to play better."
The T-wolves came out blazing in front of the 200 spectators at the game, taking a 1-0 lead in the seventh minute of play when Sydney Wilson booted a rebound past Cougars' keeper Kelsey Marklund for the third-year nursing student's first goal in CIS play.
Mount Royal out chanced UNBC 23-6 with Marklund making three saves in the game, while Jordan Hall stopped 12 balls in the T-wolves' net.
The 1-0 lead held up for the T-wolves until the 61st minute when Karlee Hodl tied the game at 1-1, chipping in a wide-angle shot off the high post. Taylor Lamb potted the go-ahead goal for the Cougars eight minutes later when she split the UNBC centre backs for a partial breakaway and beat Hall.
T-wolves third-year defender Tanya Grob said after playing their hearts out against the Pandas the team didn't play as well as they could have against an improved Cougars team.
"We didn't start off slow, but we weren't putting on as much pressure as we can," said Grob. "We know that we can't get over confident because it's as easily lost as won this was a 50-50 game I'd say."
The T-wolves are on the road this weekend where they play Saturday in Lethbridge against the Pronghorns (0-3-1) before making their way to Calgary for a Sunday game with the Dinos (3-0-1).
"We just have to come out hard again and play like we can play," said Grob.
