Saskatoon, Sask (Sept. 17, 2021) – It was a heated contest despite the cool and windy conditions in Saskatoon on Friday night. The Manitoba Bisons and Saskatchewan Huskies battled through a strong wind to a 3-2 Huskie Victory.
 
Saskatoon Tribal Council Chief, Mark Arcand, begun the game with opening remarks and a welcome to Treaty Six Land. His address was followed by an honour song, as the Huskie faithful celebrated the return of sport to campus.
 
The Huskies came out with intensity in the opening minutes of the first game back at Griffiths Stadium in Nutrien Park in nearly two years. Taniel Gay started the scoring for the Huskies in the 11^th minute. As has become tradition in her five years with the program, Gay was an ever-present threat in the opposition attacking zone. Third year midfielder Payton Izsak picked out Gay's run with a neat through ball to get the Huskies on the board first.
 
Four minutes later, the Huskies found the back of the net again on a Manitoba own goal.
 
Fifth year forward Maya Gabruch knotted her first goal of the season in the 32^nd minute, capitalizing on a rebound after Jade Houmphanh knocked a shot off the crossbar.
 
In the 35^th minute, the momentum of the game started to shift after Bianca Cavalcanti was taken down inside the penalty area. Cavalcanti was decisive from the spot and got the Bisons on the board. The Bison nearly scored another just five minutes after the penalty on a breakaway opportunity by Paris Sidhu, however fifth year goalkeeper Jadyn Steinhauer made the one-on-one stop to keep the Bisons at bay.
 
Alexandria Paul cut the lead down to just one in the 60^th minute, scoring off a chip from 18 yards out.
 
Despite the cool conditions, the crowd was on the edge of their seats for the duration of the match, with chants and cheers ringing out for the full 90 minutes.
 
"You could feel the energy. I think it was probably one of our biggest crowds that we've had for women's soccer playing under the lights", said Huskies women's soccer head coach Jerson Barandica-Hamilton. "You could tell the girls were fired up and our first 25 minutes were phenomenal. It's unbelievable what sport does for your mental health and we're just so happy and so excited to be the first team to kick off the 2021 Huskie Athletics season."
 
"We played a fantastic second half and we almost came back", said Bisons head coach Vanessa Martinez Lagunas. "Today we need to recover and then be ready for tomorrow. The great thing about soccer is that there is always a new opportunity. We're going to be ready for tomorrow and we will be better than we were today."
 
The Huskies face the Bisons again tomorrow night at 7 PM at Griffiths Stadium in Nutrien Park.