KAMLOOPS, B.C. – After graduating the vast majority of its starters from a season ago – including U SPORTS Player of the Year Montana Leonard – and ushering in a new coaching era, there were understandably a few questions around the University of Calgary Dinos women's soccer program for the start of the 2022 season.

The Dinos emphatically answered those questions with a 5-0 win over Thompson Rivers, with five different Calgary players finding the back of the net in the first game of the year for both squads Saturday afternoon from Hillside Stadium.

The win is the first for Dinos interim co-head coaches Alex Valerio and Diogo Raposo.

"We just wanted to come out really strong," third-year forward Rachel Barlow said following Satuday's win. "This is a brand-new team. We had a bunch of graduating players, so we just wanted to prove a point today that we're still the University of Calgary Dinos and we're still going strong. We just wanted to come out and show them who we are."

After the first 30 minutes of the game were spent with both teams feeling things out and getting accustomed to the hot and smoky conditions, Calgary broke the deadlock in the 36th minute. Barlow launched an in-swinging ball into the box where Isabella DiPalma was waiting. The second year powerfully headed the ball to the near post and the keeper had no chance for the 1-0 lead.

The score remained that way until the Dinos broke this one open midway through the second half.

Transfer Sofia DiGiacomo made a big impact in her first game in a Dinos uniform, finishing off a loose ball in the box following a Calgary corner kick for a 2-0 lead at the 63:15 mark.

Just over two minutes later, Paige Cates forced a turnover deep in the Thompson Rivers end, gaining control and finding teammate Grace Moore who buried the ball perfectly to the far post for her second collegiate goal, making it 3-0 in the 66th minute.

Already with an assist earlier in the game, Rachel Barlow added her name to the scoring column in the 83rd minute. The Dinos methodically moved the ball forward right through the middle of the field with some fancy footwork before the ball ended up at Barlow's feet. The Calgary product beat the keeper on a blast from over 30 yards out to make it 4-0. Ella Djuranic and Julia Fox both were given an assist on the goal.

Calgary closed out the scoring on a corner kick on what proved to be the final play of game. Moore's corner was cleared off the line by a defender but went right to the feet of Cates, who calmly one-timed the rebound home for the fifth goal of the day.

"I'm so proud of every individual today," Barlow said. "In our hearts, we all wanted to work as a team and show everyone who we are." 

"I think a 5-0 win will definitely give us confidence going forward. I think it just shows us what we can do, and we can go do this again tomorrow and the rest of the season."

The Dinos finished Saturday's opener with the edge in both shots (17-5) and shots on goal (7-2). Thompson Rivers' Marissa Young and Calgary's Caley Leask were both credited with two saves each on the day as Leask earned her first win in the Scarlet & Gold.

The WolfPack continue their weekend homestand Sunday by hosting UNBC noon PT, while the Dinos head to Kelowna for a 1 p.m. MT contest at UBC-Okanagan.

-UC-