Box Score PRINCE GEORGE - A hat trick from fifth year Selina Speranza spurred the Manitoba Bisons to a 5-0 victory over the UNBC Timberwolves in women's soccer at NCSSL Field on Sunday, September 11 afternoon.
Bisons second year midfielder Sara Schur and fourth year forward Alyssa Daley also scored, while Amanda Wong had three assists for Manitoba (1-1-0), who edged the Timberwolves (0-2-0) in total shots by a 11-9 margin and 5-3 in shots on goal.
Manitoba's second year goalkeeper Maddie Wilford made five saves for the clean sheet, while UNBC's Lianna Toopitsin stopped three shots.
The sides were evenly matched in the first half hour of the contest, with both sides getting their fair share of runs and opportunities.
Manitoba broke through in the 42nd minute, as Schur pounced on a UNBC clearing attempt, then found the bottom right corner from just inside the 18-yard box to open the scoring, though the play looked to be offside.
Speranza started her scoring spree two minutes later, breaking down the left wing off a Wong through ball, then chipping the ball over Toopitsin's attempted challenge to give the Bisons a 2-0 lead heading into halftime.
Manitoba didn't let up in the second half, as Speranza took advantage of another turnover in the 53rd minute and finished strong to extend the Bisons lead to three before completing her hat trick only six minutes later.
Daley rounded out the scoring for the Bisons in the 75th minute, taking ball from Wong and breaking down the right wing. Toopitsin had a track on the wide-angle shot, but it bounced off the left post and in for the final marker.
UNBC's best chance of the game came in the final 10 minutes, as Jessica Erickson broke out of a scramble inside the 18-yard box, forcing Wilford to make her best save of the game to preserve the clean sheet.
Manitoba heads home to face the University of Saskatchewan Huskies on Saturday, Sept. 17 at 5:30 p.m. Central and then host Regina Cougars on Sunday, Sept. 18 at 5:30 p.m. CT while UNBC travels to Kelowna to battle the UBC Okanagan Heat on Saturday at 1 p.m. Pacific time.
