CALGARY – The University of Calgary Dinos women's field hockey team put together a strong season-opening performance, scoring first and holding the University of Victoria Vikes off the board until the fourth quarter, before a late rally lifted the Vikes to a 3-2 win Saturday afternoon at Hawkings Field.

The result, in the debut of new Dinos head coach Jenn Wishart, drops Calgary to 0-1 to open the season.

"It was unreal. A super great and competitive start and an awesome team game," said Wishart. "Tomorrow is going to be a competitive game. We'll be managing where and how we play up the field and working a bit more on our defensive work."

The first quarter was a back-and-forth battle, with the Dinos' defence turning away a Victoria penalty corner halfway through the quarter and neither side finding many clean scoring chances.

Calgary began to find its footing in the second quarter when Maia McGillivray deked past a Victoria defender to enter the circle, setting up a penalty corner that forced Vikes goalkeeper Anais Chace to lunge for the save to keep it scoreless. Victoria threatened moments later, but Dinos goalkeeper Madison Forest made a strong kick save at the 8:37 mark to keep the game level.

Calgary broke through a couple of minutes later when Dinos captain Elliot Kellough ran onto a loose ball, beating the Victoria defence to go one-on-one with Chace and make it 1-0 Dinos.

"I saw the ball get free and I was just like I've got to pounce on it and be there because that's my job," said Kellough. "I just kind of pushed towards the net and thought I'd take a shot and hope Maia (McGillivray) was behind me to pick up the rebound, and she was, but no rebound needed to be picked up."

Victoria carried much of the possession through the third quarter and forced a couple more strong saves from Forest, but Calgary settled in during the second half of the frame and started building offensive-zone possession of its own, with McGillivray going just wide of the post before the buzzer.

The Vikes found the back of the net three minutes into the final quarter, adding two more in the closing minutes – a penalty stroke with 2:15 remaining and another with 1:33 left – to take a 3-1 lead. Calgary pushed back, pulling its goalkeeper after a shot went just wide with 52 seconds to go, and McGillivray converted a penalty stroke of her own in the closing seconds to make it a final score of 3-2 for the visitors.

"I think this game was the best I've ever seen this team play," said Kellough. "We played a phenomenal full game of hockey and really connected. We were almost there today, a couple lapses in judgement with the goals at the end, but we were able to push back, so taking that mentality into tomorrow that whatever is thrown against us we're able to come back from that."

The Dinos will return to action Sunday, Sept. 13 at 11 a.m. when they host the Vikes again at Hawkings Field to close out the season-opening series.

SCORING SUMMARY
CGY - Elliot Kellough, FG, 24', 1-0 CGY
VIC - Josie Dunham, FG, 48', 1-1
VIC - Ava Winter, PS, 58', 2-1 VIC
VIC - Katie Bentley, FG, 59', 3-1 VIC
CGY - Maia McGillivray, PS, 60', 3-2 VIC

GOALKEEPERS
VIC - Anais Chace, 60MP, 2GA
CGY - Madison Forest, 59MP, 3GA

CARDS
VIC - Camryn Jensen, GC, 5'
VIC - Camryn Jensen, GC, 33'
CGY - Isabella Green, GC, 39'
CGY - Isabella Green, GC, 57'

-UC-