CALGARY - The Mount Royal University Cougars hosted the University of Saskatchewan Huskies to a fierce match on a windy Sunday afternoon. The Huskies took the field with a 1-0 win.
As the game opened, the Cougars showed some intense energy, determined to break their streak of bad luck. The play was a bit scattered at first as the ball skirted out of bounds numerous times, but the Huskies soon took control of the field.
Just eight minutes into play, Saskatchewan's Taneil Gay scored her first goal of the season with assistance from Payton Izsak. The Cougars got in a couple shots of their own as their offensive built, but were unable to get by Huskies keeper Jadyn Steinhauer.
Both teams were pushing hard offensives to gain the upper hand, but neither were able to make a dent in the score. The Cougars were gaining a few more shots on net, but found the ball going wide or high. The Huskies kept maneuvering close to the Cougars' net, but were repeatedly thwarted by the home team defenses.
The halftime whistle blew with a Huskies 1-0 lead.
Second half opened with some immediate substitutions on both sides. Saskatchewan was making some swift offensive moves, earning them a shot on net after just four minutes. In contrast, Mount Royal was struggling to make an impact in the beginning of the second half.
Cougars keeper Miah Godek was working hard to keep the Huskies from widening the score gap. She faced a number of well-aimed shots after Saskatchewan slipped past their initial defenses.
Mount Royal faced two yellow cards in just five minutes as the match inched closer to the final whistle. Both teams made multiple substitutions in the final ten minutes to put some fresh energy into play. The Cougars managed a couple more shots on net, but were unable to defeat Steinhauer.
The Huskies closed the game with a final shot the Cougars which was blocked by Godek. They sustained their lead until the end, taking the day with a 1-0 victory.
The Cougars women's team will play their final home game of the season on Saturday, October 12th, against the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns. It will be broadcasted live on CanadaWest.tv, presented by Co-op.
