Bean there, done that, again! UBC wins ninth women’s soccer crown
Team Stats
| Game Statistics | Laval | UBC |
|---|---|---|
| Shots (on goal) | 12 (4) | 7 (2) |
| Saves | 1 | 4 |
| Fouls | 10 | 9 |
| Corner Kicks | 0 | 5 |
| Offsides | 2 | 2 |
The UBC Thunderbirds won the Gladys Bean Memorial Trophy for the record ninth time, defeating the Laval Rouge et Or 1-0 in the championship game of the 2024 BMO U SPORTS Women’s Soccer Championship, at Dalhousie University’s Wickwire Field. With the win, UBC concludes a perfect season, having gone 19-0-0 between regular season, playoffs and championship play.
The game’s only goal came from the head of Sophia Ferreira at the stroke of halftime. She sent Taiya Dennehy’s corner kick towards the net where it deflected off a Laval defender’s head and into the goal, ending a 285-minute shutout streak for Laval.
Laval had chances to draw level just before the hour mark, and again in the 67th minute, but UBC’s Dakota Beckett stood tall in the Thunderbirds net. She stopped all four shots she faced to earn the clean sheet, her third of the week as she had a perfect tournament, making 10 saves in 300 minutes over the three games.
For Laval, the Quebec conference champions, Anne-Marie Laroche made one save on the day, and finished the tournament with only one goal allowed in 330 minutes as she guided her team through scoreless draws in the first two rounds.
UBC rookie midfielder Sienna Gibson, a Vancouver product, earned tournament MVP honours. She scored the opening goal in the T-Birds’ quarterfinal win over the host Dalhousie Tigers and bossed the midfield all weekend, winning player of the game honours today. She was joined by three of her teammates, Sarah Rollins, Ferreira and Jade Taylor, on the tournament all-star team.
The silver medallists from Laval placed three on the all-tournament squad, Mathilde Lachance, Léa-Jeanne Fortier and Geneviève Girard. Rounding out the squad were CBU goalkeeper Ellie Lancaster, Ottawa defender Maya Smith and Ottawa forwards Cassandra Provost and Jenna Matsukubo.
Laval was named the winner of the R.W. Pugh Fair Play award.
UBC’s win, their second straight women’s championship, completes a sweep of the soccer crowns as they won the men’s title earlier in the day. It gives them their third U SPORTS banner of the 2024-25 season.
NIKE TEAM PLAYERS OF THE GAME:
- Laval: Geneviève Girard
- UBC: Sienna Gibson
TOURNAMENT AWARD WINNERS
R.W. PUGH FAIR PLAY AWARD: Laval Rouge et Or
TOURNAMENT ALL-STAR TEAM:
- GK Ellie Lancaster, Cape Breton
- D Maya Smith, Ottawa
- D Mathilde Lachance, Laval
- D Sarah Rollins, UBC
- D Sophia Ferreira, UBC
- M Sienna Gibson, UBC
- M Léa-Jeanne Fortier, Laval
- M Geneviève Girard, Laval
- F Cassandra Provost, Ottawa
- F Jenna Matsukubo, Ottawa
- F Jade Taylor-Ryan, UBC
TOURNAMENT MVP: Sienna Gibson, UBC