Sardis secondary grad Katie Lampen continues to make waves as a freshman with the University of the Fraser Valley women’s soccer squad.
Lampen scored UFV’s goal Friday night as they earned a 1-1 draw with the UBC Thunderbirds at the MRC Sports Complex in Abbotsford.
In the second meeting of the season between the rivals, the Cascades flipped the script on the Thunderbirds.
Back on Sept. 7 at UBC, the Cascades took a 1-0 lead into the dying minutes, only to have the T-Birds equalize in the 88th minute.
On Friday it was Lampen scoring in the 86th minute.
“She’s just an honest player,” said Cascades coach Rob Giesbrecht. “She works hard, and she’s learning to play the game to her strengths. She’s got very good pace and is an assertive attacking player with a good nose for goal.
“One thing we really like about Katie is, she really takes coaching points well and applies them. The runs she makes are the things we ask her to do. She’s been a joy to have on our team this year.”
The Cascades got off to a strong start – forward Simi Lehal, in the seventh minute, made a nifty turn in the box and tested UBC keeper Emily Moore with a low shot, but Moore laid out for the save.
Shortly thereafter, Brittney Zacharuk fired a nifty ball across to Lampen and she had a clean look, but wasn’t able to make clean contact and her shot went wide.
The Thunderbirds mustered a push of their own, and Sophie Damian forced UFV keeper Joven Sandhu into a leaping save to tip the ball over the crossbar in the 21st minute. On the ensuing corner kick off the foot of Emma Peckinpaugh, the ball fell to UBC’s Danielle Steer and she finished from close range to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.
The T-Birds were flying to start the second half, but UFV’s Sandhu was up to the task. In the 50th minute, she tipped Peckinpaugh’s free kick over the bar. In the 60th, she robbed Natasha Klasios on a rising blast.
Those saves gave the Cascades the opportunity to equalize in the late going. Bryana Buttar played Lampen through down the right, and her initial shot was stopped by Moore. But the rebound came right back to her, and she used her knee to knock the ball over Moore’s head and into the net, sending the home crowd into hysterics.
With her third of the season, Lampen moved into a tie with fellow rookie Bryana Buttar for the team goal-scoring lead, and she moved into top spot Saturday night with a strike against the University of Victoria.
The Cascades and Vikes played in Abbotsford and Lampen opened the scoring in the 12th minute.
Zacharuk sent a gorgeous cross from the left, and the Chilliwack product rose between two Vikes defenders to volley it home.
The Cascades continued to press, and Lampen nearly had another, but was unable to make solid contact with another dangerous Zacharuk cross.
The game ended in a 1-1 draw.
The Cascades’ third consecutive tie leaves them at 2-2-4 in Canada West conference play.
Up next for Lampen’s crew is a Friday-Sunday road trip to face the Calgary Dinos and UNBC Timberwolves.
See gocascades.ca