SASKATOON – A hard-fought 2018-19 Canada West campaign has come to an end for a University of Saskatchewan Huskies women's soccer team that fell 2-1 to the Calgary Dinos in a Canada West Quarter-final in Calgary, AB on Oct. 28.
 
"It's a bittersweet feeling because we wanted to win and continue our journey, but I don't feel like we lost today." said Huskies head coach Jerson Barandica-Hamilton. "We learned a lot, we got better and this just makes us hungrier for success next year."
 
McKenna Olson scored the lone goal for the Huskies off a free-kick from long range while Jadyn Steinhauer made six saves in the loss. Amy Mikuska and Montana Leonard responded for the Dinos with Lauren Houghton stopping five shots.
 
The win sends the Dinos onto the Canada West Final Four that will be hosted in Langley, B.C. next weekend.
 
Meanwhile, the loss brings an end to a Huskies' season that saw a roster with no fifth years and often as many as eight rookies in the starting line-up overcome some early season troubles to make it all the way to the quarter-final stage.
 
"It was an unbelievable season, we faced a lot of adversity but we peaked at the right time and we can be proud of our performances this weekend because we played two solid 90-minute games against top teams in this conference," said Barandica-Hamilton.
 
The Huskies came out of the gates with momentum on their side after their 2-0 victory over the reigning Canada West silver medallist UVic Vikes on Friday and took the game to the Dinos early.
 
In just the 7th minute of action Saskatchewan had a glorious chance to open the scoring.
 
Kalli Cowles whipped a cross into the 18-yard box that found an unmarked Payton Izsak, the hero from Friday's game got her head on the ball and did well to keep the effort low, but Houghton came up with the point-blank stop.
 
"We had a lot of chances in the first 25 minutes when our girls came out with confidence and we were all over them, there were three or four clear chances that we just couldn't finalize," said Barandica-Hamilton.
 
The Dinos were able to weather the early pressure from Saskatchewan and only a pair of diving saves from Steinhauer sent the teams into the halftime break with the game still scoreless.
 
Saskatchewan was looking to score almost immediately after the halftime break when a great give-and-go between Cassidy Hayward and Taneil Gay ended with a pass to the back post for a wide-open Maya Gabruch who just couldn't keep her shot down to get the effort on target.
 
As is so often the case, the Dinos found the first goal of the game mere moments after the Huskies great chance.
 
Sienna Prince-McPherson headed a ball into the path of Montana Leonard who made no mistake to slot the ball past an onrushing Steinhauer.
 
The Huskies were able to respond well after surrendering the goal however, and ramped up the pressure on the Dinos with a sequence of three corner kicks in a row.
 
All of that pressure paid off in the 69th minute.
 
Second half substitute Olson stepped up to take a free-kick from 35-yards away from goal. The second year from Saskatoon lofted the ball high and caught Houghton off her line to float in an extremely long-range goal.
 
"As a young group, playing their second game of the weekend against a Calgary team that is very direct and athletic, to have the ability to continue to compete, battle and find a way to tie it is outstanding," said Barandica-Hamilton. "I couldn't be more proud of this group for their mental strength and ability to play head-to-head against one of the top teams in our conference."
 
After that goal it was the Dinos turn to ramp up the pressure and the team that finished first in the Prairie Division with a 13-1-0 record was not to be denied on the day.
 
Calgary retook the lead the for good when Mikuska blasted home a free-kick from just outside the 18-yard box in the 82nd minute.
 
Saskatchewan threw everything they could at the net late but a Hayward header in the 90th minute was just barely cleared off the goal-line by a Dinos defender to preserve the 2-1 win for the home team.
 
"This year maybe wasn't meant to be, but we had a lot of young players that just gained the experience of what it's like to play, and win, in the playoffs so it's exciting for the future," said Barandica-Hamilton.