A game-changing performance from Simi Lehal sparked the University of the Fraser Valley women's soccer team to a crucial 2-1 victory over the UNBC Timberwolves on Friday evening.

Playing on the artificial turf at Abbotsford Senior Secondary due to heavy rainfall causing the closure of their usual home pitch, Rotary Stadium, the Cascades found themselves trailing early as UNBC's Kjera Hayman scored in the third minute.

Coming out of halftime, Cascades head coach Niko Marcina moved Lehal from centre back, where she's a fixture in the starting lineup, to forward, and her skill and athleticism transformed the game.

The fifth-year senior from Surrey, B.C. scored the equalizer in the 47th minute, and set up Halle McCambley for the go-ahead goal in the 58th to give the Cascades (3-4-2) three critical points as they chase a Canada West playoff berth. UNBC fell to 1-7-1.

The two teams will be back at Abby Senior to renew hostilities (1 p.m., CanadaWest.tv presented by Co-op).

"Simi Lehal is having an amazing year," Cascades head coach Niko Marcina enthused afterward. "This is her final year, and she wanted to give it her all. She's done so well at the back, but she's also extremely effective up top. I'm so proud of her. She's grown and matured into an elite-level player, as a striker and as a centre back.

"Her teammates value what she can bring, and she can be an effective player in any role."

???? | @LehalSimi reflects on her high-impact performance tonight vs. UNBC, and discusses what it's like to shift between centre back and forward (and back again!) mid-game!#WeClimbWeConquer pic.twitter.com/gJrILlkWmI

— UFV Cascades (@UFVCascades) October 16, 2021

The visitors landed the first blow in the early minutes, as Hayman took a pass in the centre of the box, turned to her left and finished in clinical fashion, firing a right-footed shot into the bottom right corner.

UNBC carried that momentum over the next 20 minutes, maintaining possession and looking dangerous going forward.

The tide began to turn as the half wore on, and the Cascades generated a bundle of chances between the 30th and 35th minutes. T-Wolves keeper Brooke Molby had to be sharp to deny Harneet Dadrao and Hannah Gamble, and Brittany Costa had a close-range header go just over the bar.

The Cascades' finish improved after the break, coinciding with Lehal's arrival up front. Less than two minutes into the half, she wheeled from the left into the middle and unleashed a phenomenal bar-down strike from distance over Molby's outstretched fingertips.

In the 58th, she was at it again – Costa sent a great ball ahead to Lehal down the left wing, and she ventured into the box, drew the defence, and slid a pass to an on-rushing McCambley for the close-range finish.

With UFV now ahead, Marcina returned his versatile chess piece Lehal to centre back to keep the lead secure.

Former Cascade Monika Johnson had a crack at goal from distance in the dying minutes, but Cascades keeper Joven Sandhu was able to handle it.

"Very slow start for us, and they capitalized," Marcina noted. "We picked up our socks a little bit, and we knew what the result needed to be. We ended up getting the job done, and I'm very proud of them."

IN BRIEF: Sunday's game will feature a pregame ceremony to honour seven graduating Cascades: Lehal, Costa, Sandhu, Dadrao, Kelsey Mitchell, Taylor Nekic, and Sarah Parker.