SYDNEY, N.S. – Danielle Steer struck the winning penalty kick to lift the UBC Thunderbirds to a 2-1 victory over the Acadia Axewomen and into the semifinals of the U Sports women’s soccer championships.

UBC kept possession for much of the game, but didn’t get on the scoreboard until the 50th minute when freshman midfielder Aislin Phillips struck a ball from 20 yards out, which deflected off a couple of legs before finding the left corner behind Acadia ‘keeper Milena Ramirez.

Senior wing Jayden Boudreau tied it up for Acadia in the 69th minute, with a shot to the top corner.

After chances for both teams in overtime, the game went to a shootout.

UBC will face the MacEwan Griffins in the semis on Saturday.

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GRIFFINS 2, GAELS 1

Salma Karnel and Abbey Wright scored to lead MacEwan University to a 2-1 quarterfinal victory over Queen’s.

Karnel scored in the 35th minute, volleying a shot over the head of Queen’s freshman goalkeeper Kirstin Tynan.

The Griffins’ lead was short-lived as rookie midfielder Marissa Gravel scored in the 40th minute to even it up.

Wright, a sophomore defender, got the winner in the 81st minute when she took a through ball from third-year defender Hannah Supina and slotting it past Tynan.

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SPARTANS 4, CAPERS 0

Kathryn Harvey’s goal in the 24th minute would stand up as the game-winner as top-ranked TrinityWestern University beat host Cape Breton University 4-0.

The Spartans came out flying from the opening whistle, putting the hometown favourites on their heels.

Harvey, a senior forward, scored off a scramble in the 18-yard box after a corner kick, chipping in a under the crossbar behind third-year goalkeeper Haley Kardas.

The Spartans doubled their lead just seconds before the halftime whistle, when fifth-year senior defender Liz Hicks got her foot on a corner kick.

With the Capers pressing, the Spartans capitalized on the counter-attack as senior forward Anna Dunn scored off a scramble after a corner kick in the 83rd minute.

Rookie forward Holland Stiel scored three minutes later to make it 4-0.

Trinity Western faces Laval Rouge et Or in Saturday’s semifinals.

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ROUGE ET OR 1, MUSTANGS 0

Arielle Roy-Petitclerc scored the game’s only goal to lift Laval past Western and into the semifinals.

After numerous scoring chances for both teams, Roy-Petitclerc, a fifth-year forward, finally got Laval on the scoreboard in the 60th minute, beating Western’s first-year ‘keeper Sam St. Croix.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 18, 2021.