CALGARY, Alta - The drums were booming from the sidelines, courtesy of the resident Taiko group, as the Mount Royal University Cougars women's soccer team kicked off against the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds. 

UBC scored their first goal just after 12 minutes when forward Alyssa Hunt found the back of the net on a penalty kick that followed a Cougars yellow card. The home team made a strong effort to combat this lead with a series of shots on Thunderbirds keeper Emily Moore, but were unable to sneak the ball in the net. The Thunderbirds maintained their 1-0 lead into halftime.  

The second half opened with a hard push from the Cougars, quickly putting the ball in the Thunderbirds' zone. UBC retaliated and cleared the area swiftly, preventing the Cougars from getting any quality shots for the next 15 minutes. On the other net, the visitors managed seven attempts in the same period of time. 

As the wind began to grow stronger, so did the rivalry between the two teams. The Cougars relied on their keeper Katrina Greenley to bounce plays off, a responsibility she maintained all match. 

With just 12 minutes remaining, UBC's forward Danielle Steer scored her first goal of the season, assisted by Alyssa Hunt, bringing the Thunderbirds lead to 2-0  After the goal, Cougars defender Quinn Hardstaff fiercely defended the home territory on a Thunderbirds break away, preventing a further lead as the game came to a close. 

The Thunderbirds walked away with their first win of the season as the Cougars regroup to prepare for their next game. 

The Cougars will play again on Sunday, September 15th, against the University of Victoria Vikes. It will be broadcasted live on CanadaWest.tv presented by Co-op.