Box Score Calgary, AB – The Mount Royal Cougars are still looking for their first victory of 2015 after a 2-1 loss at the hands of the Manitoba Bisons. Bruna Mavignar scored twice, leading Manitoba to victory. Amanda Schafer scored the lone goal for Mount Royal.
The Cougars opened the scoring in the 22
nd minute when
Navroop Virk completed a brilliant pass to team scoring leader
Amanda Schafer. Virk went deep towards the touchline then sent a long pass to the top of the box. Schafer corralled the ball and much like her first two strikes of the season, buried a long-range laser into the back of the net.
Mount Royal's lead was short-lived as the Bisons answered in the 25
th minute. Perennial scoring leader Bruna Mavignar added to her Canada West scoring lead after on a goalmouth scramble.
Late in the first half, the Cougars were dealt a tough blow as Captain
Glenna Burrows went hard into a tackle and turned her knee, forcing her out the game.
In the 52
nd minute
Jolee Dangerfield was taken down just outside the box giving Mount Royal a short-range free kick.
Caitlin Specht stepped up and launched the ball just over the bar.
The Cougars held the pace throughout the second half but it was Manitoba who broke the deadlock in the 74th minute. For the second time Megan Graca set up Bruna Mavignar off a beautiful long cross. Mavignar grabbed the ball and ripped it home on her second touch.
The Cougars drop to 1-3-0 on the season while the Bisons move to 3-1-2 on the year.
The Bisons will return home this evening then embark on another western road trip next weekend when they will travel to Calgary and Saskatchewan.
The Cougars will head to Saskatchewan playing the Saskatchewan Huskies and Regina Cougars next weekend.
