The University of the Fraser Valley women's soccer team played its long-awaited 2020 fall opener on Friday evening, dropping a 3-0 decision to local rival Trinity Western on the road.

With COVID-19 having wiped out their Canada West conference season, the Cascades have joined the Spartans, UBC Thunderbirds and Whitecaps FC Girls Elite in a four-team cohort, and have seven exhibition games scheduled this fall.

With the stands empty at TWU's Chase Office Field on Friday – no fans were admitted as part of COVID-19 mitigation protocols – the host Spartans got goals from Sierra Halldorson, Kathryn Harvey and Elizabeth Hicks. The Cascades, meanwhile, generated some good looks at goal, only to be turned aside by TWU goalkeeper Hannah Miller.

"I think every single player was extremely excited," said Niko Marcina, who coached his first game as the Cascades' interim head coach. "I think we were collectively anxious, but we were also loving the fact that we were back together again. We've created this family first atmosphere that every single player has invested and bought into, so the fact that we could just come to the field together as one meant the world, not only to myself but to the players. 

"It was bittersweet. It was fantastic that we got to compete. The result is what it is – we played against a top team in Canada."

Veteran goalkeeper Joven Sandhu sparkled for the Cascades in the first half, but Halldorson got the Spartans on the board in the 25th minute, running onto a through ball and slotting a shot into the bottom corner to Sandhu's left.

UFV had a great chance to equalize late in the half, as rookie Jasdeep Dhaliwal dashed in from the left and squared the ball to Sarah Parker, but her rising shot was tipped over the bar by Miller.

Miller was called upon again early in the second half – UFV's Jenna Mele slipped a pass to Simi Lehal, who turned and fired, but the TWU goalkeeper dove to her right to get a palm on the ball and push it outside the post. Off the ensuing corner, the ball came to Brittany Costa at the left edge of the box, and her blast went over the outstretched fingertips of a leaping Miller but just over the bar.

Shortly thereafter, Harvey gave the Spartans some breathing room with a great individual effort – her high-arcing strike from the left wing found the twine at the far post behind Cascades keeper Kareena Sahota, who had come on at the half. Five minutes later, Hicks made it 3-0 off a set piece. 

Afterward, Marcina noted that Sandhu played "probably the best I've seen her play" as a Cascade, and also lauded the performances of centre backs Taylor Nekic and Alanna Sydenham, Brittany Costa in the central midfield, and Jessica Fennell at fullback.

"I couldn't have been more proud after today's performance," he said. "Collectively, they were trying their best to play a different brand of soccer than they'd been used to in the past, and they ticked all the boxes. It just came to the point where fatigue kicked in, and we just couldn't keep up. But overall, we're all walking away with our heads held high."

Costa said that the opportunity for game-play "meant a lot to our entire team."

"We've been training in pods, and yesterday was our first day back together," she noted. "So playing a game within 24 hours of that, it felt like a brand-new team almost because we'd been separated for so long. It felt like we'd overcome so much adversity as a team, and played a really good first game.

"We're adapting to a new playing style, and I think we took that and implemented exactly what the coaches wanted. So from that aspect, I think it was a really good performance."

The Cascades are back in action next Saturday, Oct. 24, on the road at UBC.