The University of the Fraser Valley women's soccer team saw a promising start dissolve late in the first half, as they dropped a 5-0 decision to the No. 2-ranked Trinity Western Spartans on the road in Langley on Friday.

Over the first half-hour, the Cascades had the bulk of the play in the Spartans' half, out-shooting the hosts 5-2 during that stretch. They had a golden opportunity in the third minute when Halle McCambley intercepted a TWU pass and snuck off on a breakaway, but Spartans goalkeeper Hannah Miller came up with a big save.

TWU found traction late in the first half, and broke the ice in the 39th minute as Elizabeth Hicks converted off Sierra Halldorson's free kick. Then, in first-half injury time, Anna Dunn made it 2-0 on the counterattack.

Hicks and Halldorson combined on another set-piece goal in the 49th minute, and Sarah Bazille and Dunn, with her second of the night, rounded out the scoring.

"It's a matter of experience vs. lack of experience," Cascades head coach Niko Marcina analyzed afterward. "Our players were giving it their all, and for 30 minutes, we had chances, had moments. As a result of not capitalizing, also as a result of taking our foot off the gas pedal a tad bit, we allowed Trinity to have those half-chances. Because of their experience and quality, they put those half-chances away.

"The first goal, we were OK with it, but the second one before half just put us in the dumps and we couldn't get over that. 

"But we're going to reset . . . we're going to move forward."

The two teams conclude the weekend series on Saturday in Langley (5 p.m., CanadaWest.tv presented by Co-op).