Saturday, September 29 - Calgary, AB...Kelsey Kinzner scored the tying goal with five minutes remaining Saturday as the Mount Royal University Cougars salvaged a 2-2 with the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC)Timberwolves in Canadian Interuniversity Sport women's soccer play at Mount Royal.

Sidney Roy and Jessica Manning scored on two of the Prince George-based Timberwolves three shots, while the Cougars needed second-half goals by Kristen Bloom and Kinzner to secure the tie.

UNBC goalkeeper Jordan Hall officially made 21 saves on the day, while MRU's Kelsey Marklund was credited with one save.

“A tie is better than a loss,” said Kinzner, looking at the positive of a frustrating afternoon.

Both teams are still seeking their first victories of the season. The Cougars are 0-4-2 and the Timberwolves 0-5-2.

According to the Cougars' stats sheet, they had 35 shots on UNBC goalkeeper Jordan Hall.

“Sometimes the game can be cruel,” said MRU coach Tino Fusco. “Unfortunately when you hit the goalkeeper in the hands so many times it makes scoring difficult.”

Both teams are in their first year in the CIS. The Cougars other point came in a tie with Calgary rival U of C Dinos, while the Timberwolves earned their other point of the season against Winnipeg.

UNC had surrendered 34 goals while scoring one entering Saturday.

The Cougars dominated the first half, blasting shot after shot at Hall.

Kinzner had at least four quality chances, including one final attempt in the last minute from inside the box. It came on a bang-bang play that also saw Hall stop Kara Noel's header.

Of course, as so often happens, UNBC scored on their only chance of the half. Roy snuck behind the Cougars fullbacks in the 26th minute and tapped a shot inside right post past Kelsey Marklund. Manning made it 2-0 in the 51st minute, toeing a loose ball into the empty net on the run.

The Cougars got on the scoresheet in the 64th minute. Bloom took a pass from freshman sub Kesley Neal outside the 18-yard box and curled it over Hall's head. Neal played a strong game on the front right side.

Kinzner's battle to find the net finally ended as the end of regulation time loomed when she took a feed from Donella Lockhart, watched as Hall failed to get a hold of her initial attempt, then bounced the rebound into the open net as the tall keeper lay sprawled on the turf.

Caitlin Specht had two very good chances for the Cougars in the final minute but was stopped.

“I think we just need to work on our finish and hopefully we can start putting a few into the back of the net,” said Kinzner, the team's top returning scorer from their final season in the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC).

Fusco expected lots of chances this game.

“We worked on attacking in training this week. Sometimes the ball finds the cage and sometimes it doesn't,” he said.“Today was one of those days.”

The Cougars' next home game is Oct. 6 when they host powerhouse Trinity Western University at noon. Through five games, TWU scored 25 goals and surrendered just one in five victories.

Meanwhile UNBC continues their road swing, heading to the University of Alberta to play the Pandas on Sept. 29 at 2:00 p.m.