Box Score Saturday, October 22, 20111:00 PMEdmonton, Alberta - Foote FieldBox Score Score1234FinalUBC Thunderbirds00000Golden Bears00001 *Alberta wins 1-0 by forfeit after UBC uses ineligible player Despite a strong defensive effort the University of Alberta Golden Bears football team remains winless following a 39-22 loss to the No.8 UBC Thunderbirds on Saturday afternoon at Foote Field in Edmonton.Freshman linebacker Connor Ralph led Alberta in tackles with 8.5, while Ryan Dean had five tackles and a pair of sacks. Veteran linebacker Bobby Butcher had a strong game as well, picking up a sack, an interception and three tackles.The Golden Bears got majors from fourth-year running back KK Sonuga, as well as receiver Porter Brown and back-up quarterback Ryan Schwartz, who played in just his second game for the Green and Gold, and the first in Edmonton. The loss drops Alberta to 0-7, one season after they played in the Canada West final. Sonuga had his best game at running back, carrying 22 times for 146 yards. Schwartz, a sophomore transfer from Simon Fraser, gave Alberta a strong 1-2 punch, as the North Vancouver native rushed 14 times for 114 yards.UBC, playoff bound after finishing last during the 2010 Canada West season, got touchdowns from receivers Mitch Shuster and David Scott, as well as defensive backs Sam Carino and Chris Mark. The win improves UBC’s record to 5-2 and keeps them in second place behind the undefeated Calgary Dinos. The Vancouver squad appears likely to finish in second, which would mean they would host a playoff game against the Saskatchewan Huskies (4-3). The Birds close out their regular season at home against Calgary next weekend.Alberta actually outgained UBC on offence, racking up 467 total yards compared to 386 by the visitors, and the Bears also owned the time of possession, 34:58 to 25:02, but simply found ways to hurt themselves, including three interceptions, a pair of fumbles and two turnovers on downs.The Thunderbirds got off to a hot start, putting up 17 straight points in the opening quarter, thanks to an impressive start by quarterback Billy Greene. The fourth-year pivot put together three scoring drives in nine-and-a-half minutes, hitting Shuster (43-yard diving catch in the end zone) and Scott (31-yard toss) for TDs, and setting up kicker Billy Pavlopoulos for a 20-yard field goal.Alberta capped the first quarter scoring when fifth-year QB Julian Marchand hit Porter Brown for a major from 14 yards out.After a Steve McCaffrey 31-yard missed field goal rouge, Marchand was forced to leave the game due to injury, opening the door for Schwartz. He got the Bears into the end zone shortly after, marching the home team on a seven play, 95-yard drive that was finished off by his one yard run, making the score 17-15. Pavlopoulos nailed a 24-yard chip shot field goal to give the visitors a 20-15 lead at half-time.Alberta undid a lot of their first half good work early in the third quarter when Schwartz scrambled, evaded tackles, and launched a prayer that was intercepted by Carino and returned 53-yards for the touchdown.Sonuga replied when picked up his sixth rushing TD of the season to draw the Bears to within five at 27-22, but a UBC safety right before the end of the third meant Alberta needed a two-point converted TD to win.After stalling out the Birds’ offence repeatedly, it looked as though the Bears were going to hang around just long enough to pull out the upset. However, Pavlopoulos hammered a 47-yard field goal, and then UBC put the nail in the coffin when Chris Mark intercepted Schwartz’s overthrown pass and returned it 55-yards to put the game out of reach, 39-22 late in the fourth.The Bears will close out the 2011 season next Saturday, October 29, against the Saskatchewan Huskies. Kick-off is 1:00pm at Foote Field, however, before the game Alberta will honour their fifth-year players in a pre-game ceremony. Share this story Top stories from UAlberta