The University of Saskatchewan Huskies women’s soccer team came away with one win and one loss after a weekend series in British Columbia. The squad is now 7-2-2 on the season and slips to fourth place in the Canada West rankings behind the University of Alberta Pandas, the University of British Columbia Timberwolves and the University of Victoria Vikes.

The team picked up their seventh win on Oct. 11 with a 1-0 victory over the University of the Fraser Valley Cascades. Fifth-year midfielder Daniela Fuenzalida scored the lone goal and first-year goaltender Kyleigh Vause recorded her second shutout to see the Cascades off.

The Cascades come out strong in the first half and pressured the Huskies defence from the start. Despite being the lower ranked team, the Cascades outshot the Dogs 5-4 in the first half. The Cascade offence kept Vause busy early on as she needed to make two saves to keep the home team off the scoreboard while UFV’s goalkeeper Kayla Klim did not see a shot on net.

The Huskies broke the deadlock to open the second half. Two minutes in, Erica Hindmarsh brought the ball down the left side of the field and passed to a wide open Fuenzalida in front of the Cascades’ net. Taking full advantage of the opportunity Fuenzalida blasted the ball past Klim to give the Huskies a 1-0 lead.

This time it was the Dogs’ turn to put pressure on the Cascades’ defence as they outshot the home team 7-2 in the second half. Klim made another two saves to keep the score close but the UFV offence could not get past Vause as she made another stop to cement the Huskies a win.

The Dogs’ fortunes were reversed on Oct. 12 when they were shutout 0-1 by the U of V Vikes. Folowing the upset, he Vikes overtook the Huskies in the Canada West ranking.

The lone goal in the match came from the foot of Vikes striker Emma Greig in the fourth minute of play.

Greig headed a pass from Carly Branion-Calles toward the Huskies net but goalkeeper Lisa Evans was there to turn the ball away. The ball flew back to Greig and this time she made no mistake, finding the net to push the Vikes ahead 1-0.

The Huskies had their best chance to score in the 17th minute of the game. Leanne Mylymok booted a ball from the 18-yard box towards the top corner of the net but Vikes keeper Tanya Jones made a diving one-handed save to keep the home team’s lead intact. The Vikes outshot the Huskies 8-3 in the opening half.

The Vikes continued to pressure the Huskies, putting five shots on net to the Huskies’ three. Evans made key saves to keep the gap at one goal but the Dogs couldn’t best Jones.

Huskies striker Jenelle Zapski challenged the Vikes keeper twice in the fading minutes of the match but saw one of her shots go high while the other was saved by Jones.

The Huskies host the University of Northern British Columbia Timberwolves on Sunday Oct. 20 at Griffiths Stadium.