CALGARY, Alta. - After a long off-season and encouraging training camp the Huskie men's soccer team finally hit the pitch for regular season play on Saturday (Aug. 24) in Calgary. Unfortunately, it proved to not be the season-opener the dogs were looking for as the Dinos rode an early score to a 3-0 victory.

The Huskies found themselves trailing quickly in Saturday's contest after Calgary's James Greco-Taylor connected with Joey Plenzik on a corner kick to open the scoring just 3:32 into the match. After another pair of Dino corners, the Huskies would turn some defensive momentum into offensive chances as Rajesh Rodney, Ryan Ko, and Ethan Cabral all registered scoring chances. Despite their best efforts, Calgary would double their lead in the 25th minute after Gianmarco Plenzik beat Emmett McGillivray on a close-quarters shot attempt.

Ten minutes later the Huskies received their best scoring chance of the match when Mount Royal transfer Ilyich Gharahmadani took a loose ball the length of the field and beat everyone but the post. After Calgary was unable to convert on their seventh corner kick of the half, the two teams would head off the pitch for halftime with the Dinos up a pair. 

The second half saw a much more balanced game take place with both teams trading offensive rushes and fouls. With just over 10 minutes remaining, the Huskies were backed up in their own zone and looking to flip the field when Calgary's Spencer McCallum fired a shot from out wide. The shot was intercepted and tipped by Owen Antoniuk before Emmett McGillivray could get a hand on it, finding the back of the net and all but sealing the Calgary win. 

STATS
The Dinos out-shot the Huskies 14-9 in both team's first match of the 2024 season, and generated twice as many corner kick opportunities (8-4) including seven in the first frame. The two teams were even at 12 fouls apiece while the Huskies drew just one card to the Dinos two. 

UP NEXT
The Huskies will make the short trip across Calgary tomorrow to the campus of Mount Royal University for a 3pm match against the defending Canada West champion Cougars. The match, which is set to take place at Mount Royal Fields, can be viewed online at canadawest.tv for any fans unable to make the trip.