It was a terrific Sunday for the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds soccer programs. UBC won the national titles for the men and women. Ironically, both scores in the final were 1-0.
In the men’s championship game, the Thunderbirds beat the University of Montreal Carabins 1-0 at Vaso’s Field in Oshawa, Ontario. The lone UBC goal scorer was midfielder Joven Mann of Surrey, British Columbia. Mann scored in the 90th minute for the only goal in the game.
It was also an outstanding final for Thunderbirds goaltender Bennett McKay of Delta, British Columbia, who made 10 saves. Meanwhile, defender Lucas Dasovic of Burnaby, British Columbia was named the men’s championship game most valuable player, and Mann was the tournament MVP. In three games, Mann scored three goals, as he also scored twice in a 4-2 UBC win over the University of New Brunswick in the quarterfinals. En route to the final, the Thunderbirds also beat McGill 3-0 in the semifinal.
This was the 14th time the Thunderbirds have won the Canadian University Men’s Soccer Championship, now the Sam Davidson Memorial Trophy. They previously won in 1974, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 2005, 2007, 2012 and 2013.
Meanwhile, in the women’s championship game, the Thunderbirds beat the University of Laval Rouge et Or 1-0 at Wickwire Field in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The lone Thunderbirds goal scorer was Sophia Ferreira of Coquitlam, British Columbia, who scored in the 45th minute. Sienna Gibson of Vancouver, British Columbia was the player of the game and tournament MVP. Gibson scored the Thunderbirds’s game-winning goal on Thursday in a 4-0 UBC win over Dalhousie.
It was a perfect season for the UBC Thunderbirds women’s soccer team as they won all 19 games they played. In winning the women’s national soccer championship, they won the Gladys Bean Memorial Trophy for the ninth time. They previously won in 1987, 1993, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2015, 2019, and 2023.
