EDMONTON - The Alberta Pandas and UNBC Timberwolves played to an exciting 2-2 draw Sunday afternoon at Foote Field, a game which saw both teams alternate two-goal halves.
Panda second-years Wanda Czebreszuk and Emily Duxbury found the scoresheet for the hosts, while the Timberwolves were aided by an own-goal from Alberta's Kelli Haffie and a phenomenal strike from fifth-year Paige Payne.
The draw gives the Pandas (3-2-1) a respectable four-point weekend and some positive momentum heading into what will be an intriguing Prairie divisional race with the Manitoba Bisons (3-2-0) and MacEwan Griffins (3-2-0) right behind them.
UNBC moves to 2-3-1 and sit in fifth position in the Pacific Division, currently on pace for the play-in game versus the fourth-seeded team in the Prairie.\
It was a back-and-forth first half before midfielder Czebreszuk hit a beautiful curling shot in the 42nd minute off of a phenomenal run and pass from fourth-year forward McKayla Brault to give Alberta an early 1-0 lead.
They did not have to wait long for a follow-up, as just a minute later Emily Duxbury took a pass from fifth-year Brooke Lang and neatly found twine to give the Pandas a 2-0 advantage heading into the break.
Some inspirational words from UNBC head coach Neil Sedgwick at the half perhaps sprung the Timberwolves into action in the second, as they came out firing on all cylinders against a strong Pandas backline that had conceded only two goals in their last two.
In the 58th minute disaster struck for Alberta when a great ball from second-year Timberwolves forward Camryn Cline accidentally found the back of the net after a failed clearance attempt from the Pandas. It cut the lead to just one with 40 minutes to play.
The teams would trade chances until the 77th minute, when fourth-year midfielder Kiana Swift found UNBC leading scorer Payne who made no mistake scoring her fourth of the season to knot the game at 2-2.
There would be a multitude of chances the rest of the way, but Pandas and Wolves keepers Ashely Turner and Brityn Hinsche would make some key stops to settle the contest in a draw.
The Pandas take a road trip next weekend to face the Mount Royal Cougars (2-2-1), while UNBC returns home for a clash against a UBC (7-0) team that is tops in the Canada West currently.
