EDMONTON – There's no better way to celebrate Senior Day than with a win, and the Pandas (3-9-2) got the biggest one they could have asked for with a 1-0 victory over the top seed in the Prairies, the Calgary Dinos (12-2).
Tara Simonot's first half goal was the lone marker of the game, assisted by Erin Hope who got on the scoresheet in her final appearance as a Panda. She, Makenna Van der Veen and Kailey Rudyk all wore the captain's armband at different points on the day, with all three of the graduating players who were able to take the field made key contributions towards the result.
The duo of Rudyk and Clara Seck at the back did a great job of keeping the ball in front of them for most of the game, and when the Dinos did manufacture chances Tessa Borrelli stood tall in the Alberta goal, recording a career-high 12 saves.
Calgary's Brooke Batty had perhaps her team's best chance of the game early in the first half, when a bouncing ball found her just outside the six-yard box. She was unable to convert, however, hitting the ball towards the middle of the goal and was forced to watch Borrelli make the stop.
A turnover in their own end proved to be the Dinos' undoing, as the Pandas pounced and immediately worked the ball out wide to Hope. The fifth-year star launched a perfectly-placed cross into the box, which found first the head of the onrushing Simonot, then the crossbar, and then the back of the net in the 19th minute.
Maintaining their 1-0 lead into the second half, the Pandas bunkered down and successfully repelled each of Calgary's forays forward. Borrelli cut out a couple of potential breakaways by racing out in a sweeper keeper role, and plenty of well-timed Panda tackles kept the visitors from creating too many clearcut opportunities.
That dogged determination continued all the way to the final whistle, with the Pandas able to celebrate at the conclusion of their final game of the 2026 season. The Dinos, meanwhile, will look to regroup next week as they begin their journey in the Canada West playoffs.
