BROOKE GARNER

Huskies defender Kasya Naidu glances off field as she chases after the soccer ball.

The Huskies women’s soccer team has earned a spot in the postseason for the first time in the squad’s history.

In 1999 the team was also in the playoffs, but only made it by default because Saskatoon was the host city of the tournament-style post-season that year.

The team challenged the University of Alberta Pandas and the Mount Royal Cougars Oct. 13 and 14 at Griffiths stadium. Showing heart and grit on the field, the Dogs won both games and sent themselves into the Huskie record books.

The Dogs first win came against Alberta, who entered the game undefeated. The action started in the 14th minute of play when Huskies second-year striker Ali Goodman received a pass from teammate Jenelle Zapski. Goodman fired the ball into the back of the net.

Less than a minute later, though, Alberta countered. Out of the pandemonium of feet fighting for the ball in front of the Huskie goal, it was the Panda’s Carleigh Miller who got her cleat on the ball and slipped the ball past Saskatchewan keeper Marissa Struik.

The game was tied at halftime and remained that way until the 61st minute. Zapski broke into the Pandas end and shot the ball just over Alberta keeper Kelti Biggs’s outstretched hands.

Zapski’s goal was followed by a goal from teammate Nicholle Morrison 16 minutes later. Biggs ran from the net to collect the ball but Morrison beat her to it, sending the ball past Biggs for the goal.

The game ended 3-1 for the Huskies, leaving Alberta with their first loss of the season.

The following day the Huskies made light work of Mount Royal, downing the Cougars 5-0.

Rookie striker Zapski scored a hat trick in the game.

At only five-foot-two, the Saskatoon product danced around Cougars’ defenders and gave the Dogs a 2-0 lead by the 23rd minute.

Jenna Newton made it three for the Huskies before the end of the half.

In the second half, Zapski notched her third and the team picked up another from Morrison.

Saskatchewan outshot the Cougars 24-5 en route to the shutout victory. Mount Royal’s record drops to 0-7-3 while Saskatchewan rises to 6-4-0 ensuring the Dogs at least eighth place in the standings regardless of how they do Oct. 20 and 21 when they play their final two regular season games against the Calgary Dinos and the Lethbridge Pronghorns, respectively.

The Huskies men’s soccer team dropped two games at home to a pair of western foes who sit atop the Pacific Division in the Canada West conference.

On Oct. 13 the Dogs faced the visiting Trinity Western University Spartans on Field 7 at Saskatoon’s PotashCorp Park.

The game was evenly matched through 88 minutes of play, with each squad taking 11 shots on goal but neither team finding a way to beat the goalkeepers.

Trinity Western was given a free kick 20 yards from the Huskies goal with only minutes remaining in the match. Spartan Jarvis Ambaka found the ball in the ensuing scrum and booted it to the top left corner past Huskies keeper Mark Diakiw.

The next day the Huskies lost again, this time to the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds, who scored two first-half goals and played solid defense to hold on to the shutout.

UBC’s striker Steve Johnson scored in the seventh minute and midfielder Greg Smith beat the Huskies keeper in the 19th minute to catapult the Thunderbirds to victory.

UBC’s record improves to 9-0-1 and Saskatchewan’s falls to 5-4-2. The Dogs are tied for second in the Prairie division with the Calgary Dinos but will try to move ahead of them Oct. 20 and 21 when they travel to Calgary.

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Photo: Brett Smith