(FREDERICTON, N.B.) - The UNB Varsity Reds women's soccer team are guaranteed a first-place finish in the AUS regular season standings for the first time in the team's 19-year history after defeating Mount Allison 3-2.

The game got off to a cold start, as the rain came down in sheets and seemed to only get heavier throughout the first half.

The Mounties got on the scoreboard first at around minute 26 when Emily Van Diepen landed a huge kick from the 40-yard line - showing why she has been named Mount Allison's female athlete of the year for the past two consecutive years. 

The Varsity Reds would go into halftime down 0-1. They would soon find themselves down two goals, after Mount Allison's Jane Rouse scored the Mounties' second goal roughly 10 minutes into the second half. 

That's when the V-Reds started to come alive. Meggie Spicer had an amazing chance, hitting the crossbar at minute 58. But the first goal of the evening came from fullback Hayley Gates, who picked up a huge rebound to beat Mount Allison keeper Tessa Ritchie at 66:58.

UNB scored again to tie the game five minutes later. Lauren Cubbon had the goal that time, and for the first time in the game, the V-Reds had momentum on their side.

They would rack up their third goal and take the lead when Nicola Small, whose parents had travelled all the way from Vancouver to stand in the rain and watch her play, scored the winning goal with just over five minutes left in the game. Samantha Lagacy had the assist.

UNB head coach Jonathan Crossland says the V-Reds were disheartened after the first half, so to see them come back from behind gives them an extra push heading into the AUS playoffs. 

"I told the girls that we had to start winning more battles and start dictating the game," he said. "In the first half we were spectators, so I said 'we have to take it. It's not going to be easy, but we have to do it.' And they did that in the second half."

The Varsity Reds play their final game before the AUS championship this Friday when they host Saint Mary's at 5 p.m.

The Mounties host Acadia at the same time. 

Source: UNB Sports Information