BROOKE GARNER

The Huskies women’s soccer team took down Victoria last weekend in a close one-goal game.

The Huskies women’s soccer squad were outstanding Oct. 6, knocking off the undefeated University of Victoria Vikes in a close one-goal game.

The Dogs’ Megan Schenher won the game for Saskatchewan in the 87th minute, wrangling a pass from striker Lindsay Manz and lobbing it over Vikes goalie Stephanie Parker. It was the first goal of the season for Schenher and lifted the Huskies past Victoria 2-1.

Victoria started the game confidently, taking a 1-0 lead in the 34th minute when the Vikes’ Jackie Harrison took a cross pass from Tessa Margetts. Harrison immediately capitalized on the opportunity, tapping the ball into the right side of the net.

The Dogs mounted their comeback in the 62nd minute when second-year player Erica Parenteau passed the ball through the Vikes defense to forward Janelle Zapski. Zapski launched it past Parker to tie the game 1-1.

Huskies head coach Tom LaPointe said the recipe for victory was perfecting the basics.

“The girls followed the game plan,” he said. “We maintained possession of the ball and that goal at the end of the game showed our mental strength and determination to fight.”

The following day the Huskies couldn’t find the same success and fell 2-0 to the University of Fraser Valley Cascades.

After a scoreless first half, Fraser Valley netted goals from senior defensive player Donna Pinning and striker Victoria Baird.

The Cascades keeper Kayla Klim was brilliant in net, holding the 2-0 shutout for the Cascades despite being outshot by the Dogs 15-6 in the match.

The win moves Fraser Valley into fourth place in the league with a 6-2-1 record while Saskatchewan drops to 4-4 on the season and currently sits in seventh spot in the Canada West standings. They will have a chance to improve their position in the standings Oct. 13 and 14 when they take on the Alberta Pandas and Mount Royal Cougars during their final home games of the regular season.

Entering the weekend tied for first place in the Prairie Division, the Huskies men’s soccer team couldn’t find a way to beat the Alberta Golden Bears in back-to-back games Oct. 6 and 7.

In the first game both teams appeared afraid to give up ground. A goal drought lasted up until the 72nd minute when Alberta netted two in less than two minutes.

Hope for the Huskies came in the 80th minute, when Saskatchewan striker Brett Levis beat Bears goalie Jay Vetsch. That was as close as Saskatchewan would get, losing 2-1.

The Dogs got another shot at Edmonton’s Foote Field the following day.

Saskatchewan was eager to make up for the previous defeat and Alberta was bent on increasing their lead in the Prairie Division.

Neither team would get their wish, however, as the game closed in a 1-1 tie.

Alberta scored first on a penalty kick by defender Niko Saler. The goal was Saler’s first of his university career. The Huskies tied it up when Levis potted his second goal of the weekend and twelfth point this season — putting him second in the conference scoring race.

The tie meant Alberta took sole possession of first spot in the Prairie Division with a record of 6-1-2. Saskatchewan settled into second spot at 5-2-2 and will have more tough games ahead.

They play at home on Field 7 in PotashCorp Park Oct. 13 and 14 versus the Trinity Western University and the UBC Thunderbirds, respectively. Both TWU and UBC are unbeaten through eight games this season.

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Photo: Calvin So