WSOC: Payne, Molby power Timberwolves to 2-0 win over Cascades in Abbotsford

Women's Soccer
September 30, 2022

The UNBC Timberwolves Women’s Soccer team used a pair of Paige Payne goals and some excellent goalkeeping from veteran Brooke Molby to beat the UFV Cascades 2-0 on Friday, September 30th, 2022 in Abbotsford, BC.

The Timberwolves came out the more assertive side, working the ball into the Cascades third on a number of occasions in the opening minutes, but a pair of shots from Claire Turner couldn’t beat UFV keeper Joven Sandhu.

In the 16th minute, UNBC got on the board. Kalista Kirkness won a ball near midfield and sent it into veteran striker Paige Payne, who did the rest, creating separation and beating Sandhu with a low shot just inside the post. The goal opened the scoring for the Timberwolves and was good for Payne’s fifth of the season.

With UNBC leading 5-0 in shots through 25 minutes, the Cascades looked to turn up the pressure, working to create turnovers as the TWolves attempted to play out of the back. They’d do well to earn four corner kicks in a five minute sequence, but the UNBC backline of Kirkness, Avery Nystedt, Mara McCleary, and Kambria Mellum did well to hold the fort.

In the 38th minute, Payne was sprung in close by a nifty Hannah Emmond feed, but her dangerous shot was turned away by Sandhu, with the juicy rebound just eluding a number of threatening TWolves.

Late in the half, the Timberwolves played out of their own beautifully, working down the pitch until Hannah Emmond found Payne at the top of the box. The Kitimat product made no mistake blasting it from 18 yards out and beating Sandhu for her sixth of the campaign.

When the official signaled for halftime, UNBC held a 2-0 lead, on a 7-2 advantage in shots.

In the 56th minute, UNBC nearly found an insurance marker off the foot of Kjera Hayman. The second-year from Penticton won a ball 30 yards out, advanced five yards and hammered it past the outstretched keeper, but rang if off the crossbar.

In the 82nd minute, Brooke Molby put her stamp on the game. After turning away a one-on-one Alanna Syndeham attempt, the product of Squamish showed her ability on the ensuing corner kick. After the ball was popped up in the air, a header by the Cascades looked labeled for the net until Molby reached back with one handed and somehow corralled the ball and made an incredibly athletic stop to keep it 2-0.

Eventually the Cascades ran out of time, and the Timberwolves earned a 2-0 victory over UFV, to improve to 3-5-1 on the season. With the defeat, Fraser Valley falls to 0-4-5 on the Canada West campaign.