HAMILTON, Ont. – The Guelph Gryphons gave the two-time defending national champion UBC Thunderbirds all they could handle on Thursday afternoon (Nov. 6) in a quarterfinal matchup at the 2025 U SPORTS Women's Soccer Championships. Extra time would be needed to find a winner, as Guelph and UBC were tied 1-1 after 90 minutes of play. Late in the opening half of extra time, it would be UBC who would score the match-winner, on a goal from U SPORTS Second Team All-Canadian midfielder, Sienna Gibson, propelling the reigning national champions from Vancouver to a 2-1 victory. With the win, UBC advances to the national semifinals where they will face the Laval Rouge et Or. The Gryphons, meanwhile, head to the consolation side of the bracket, and will face the Atlantic champions, the Cape Breton Capers, at 11am on Friday (Nov. 7) in a consolation semifinal.
 
Thursday afternoon's national quarterfinal matchup between Guelph and UBC marked the first ever meeting between the two programs in women's soccer. Guelph, silver medalists in the OUA, returned to the national stage for the fourth time in program history, and first time since 2017, and went toe-to-toe with the UBC Thunderbirds, who have held the No. 1 ranking in U SPORTS women's soccer all season long. UBC opened the scoring in the 55th minute on a sensation left-footed strike from outside the 18-yard box from UBC third-year midfielder, Holly Whelan, whose curling effort was placed perfectly just inside the left post to put the Thunderbirds up 1-0. But the Gryphons answered back.  
 
In the 83rd minute, a shot inside the 18-yard box from Gryphons midfielder Olivia Stavropoulos would be blocked by the hand of UBC defender Sophie Harrison. The handball gave the Gryphons an opportunity to equalize from the penalty spot, and fourth-year forward Olivia Brown (Guelph, ON) would make no mistake, sending UBC goalkeeper Dakota Beckett the wrong way to tie the game at 1-1. It marked just the second goal all season conceded by the UBC Thunderbirds, who did not concede a single goal during the regular season (14 games), with the only other goal allowed by UBC coming in a 2-1 Canada West playoff win over Mount Royal.
 
With the extra time needed, the top-seeded Thunderbirds would re-take the lead in the 103rd minute of play when Sienna Gibson finished from close range to put UBC up 2-1. The Gryphons were unable to equalize a second time around, with UBC holding on to the 2-1 victory.
 
"Really proud of this team," says Gryphons head coach Shayne Campbell, the 2025 OUA West Coach of the Year. "On a national stage, I thought our team really played. We obviously have a lot of respect for that UBC team and know how tough of a side they are, but I thought our players did an excellent job of being brave and courageous out on the field. We showed that we can play with them."
 
The Gryphons will now face the Atlantic champion, Cape Breton Capers, who lost 1-0 on a stoppage time goal to the Laval Rouge et Or in the first quarterfinal matchup of the day. The Guelph-Cape Breton consolation semifinal match will kickoff at 11am on Friday, Nov. 7 at McMaster's Ron Joyce Stadium, with the game streamed live online on CBC sports.