PREVIEW: Home-openers on horizon for undefeated WolfPack

KAMLOOPS – After starting a season with back-to-back wins for the first time in the program's Canada West history, the Thompson Rivers WolfPack women's soccer team will get the chance to play on home turf for the first time in 2025 this coming weekend.
 
Taking on the reigning national champion UBC Thunderbirds on Friday at 5 p.m. and the UVic Vikes on Saturday at 5 p.m., the games will be a tough test to start the home schedule for the WolfPack.
 
With 10 players from last year's squad not returning this season, the WolfPack have brought in 10 new faces to the fold for 2025 and those rookies have hit the ground running.

The WolfPack started the season with one of the largest margin of victories for the program since 2014 when they defeated the UNBC Timberwolves in Prince George by a score of 5-0. Alongside Esi Lufo's pair of tallies, three rookies for TRU (Sara Kuusimaki, Nat Seiz and Laila Rafou) all scored for the 'Pack. The WolfPack followed that up with a 1-0 victory over UNBC on Sunday to clinch the weekend sweep.

The game on Friday will pit the two remaining undefeated teams in the pacific division of Canada West women's soccer against one another as UBC also started their season on the right foot. Voted number one in the annual CW Coaches' Poll, the Thunderbirds started their season with a 4-0 victory over UFV and a 1-0 win against Trinity Western.

While the 'Pack lost both games they played against UBC last year, they kept things close with the Thunderbirds, losing just 1-0 in Vancouver on Sept. 15.

TRU's opponent on Saturday, the UVic Vikes, started their season with a close 2-1 loss to TWU before rebounding with a 5-0 romping victory over UFV.

TRU has had lots of recent success against the Vikes in Kamloops. The 'Pack played UVic to a 1-1 tie at home last year and in the meeting prior to that defeated Victoria in a penalty shootout to claim the first playoff win in program history.


WOLFPACK 2025 SEASON PREVIEW
 
Key Performer
 
Esi Lufo, Forward, 3rd year, Tirane, Albania
 
A talented forward from Albania, Lufo has proven she has the ability to both assist and score goals during her first two seasons with the 'Pack. With three goals and seven assists to her name for TRU, she will be counted on to lead the way offensively this season as her team reloads with ten new faces on the roster. An ultra-versatile attacker, Lufo has the ability to finish from set pieces, create her own opportunities on the ground or find open teammates with pinpoint passing.

Key Additions
 
Floor Ursem / goalkeeper / 1st year / Uitgeest, NED / Telstar
Sara Kuusimaki / winger / 1st year / Vantaa, FIN / FC Honka
Makenna Ford / midfielder / 1st year / Calgary, AB / Calgary Foothills
Nat Seiz / midfielder / 1st year / Calgary, AB / Calgary Foothills
 

By The Numbers
 
7: Seven members of the 'Pack made their TRU debuts last weekend.
 
180: Floor Ursem has yet to concede a goal through the first 180 minutes of her WolfPack career. A mark that is tied for the longest streak in the program's Canada West history.
 
4: After a four point (3G, 1A) weekend to start the season, Esi Lufo was named the Canada West Female Soccer Player of the Week.