SASKATOON, Sask. – The Saskatchewan Huskies women's soccer team kicked off the 2024 regular season on Saturday afternoon (Sept. 7), hosting the MacEwan Griffins at Griffiths Stadium. In a strong outing for the Dogs against their divisional rivals, some late game heroics allowed the Huskies to leave the pitch with a 2-2 draw. Both teams now begin the campaign with 0-0-1 records.
Despite controlling possession for much of the first half, the Huskies were unable to generate any high-danger chances.
In the 29th minute the Griffins finally crossed midfield with possession and began applying pressure to the Saskatchewan back line. MacEwan's Grace Mwasalla found Alyx Henderson for the game's opening score.
It wouldn't take long for the Huskies to respond however, as less than four minutes later third-year striker
Cheyenne Lehmann set up for a corner kick. The product of Langdon, Alberta sent a perfectly placed, high arching shot up and over the Griffins and goalkeeper Elizabeth Knight, bouncing inside the post for the first score of the season.
For Lehmann, the score marked her 9th career goal in green & white and 11th career point.
Returning to pitch after halftime tied at one apiece, the Griffins and Huskies each pressed the attack looking to take the lead in a tightly contested match. Both goalkeepers would hold their own however, with Knight making seven saves to Saskatchewan's
Kalin Roberts five saves.
Midway through the second half a MacEwan rush would see a great scoring chance from the visiting team as Grace Mwasalla came carried the ball into the attacking zone. Roberts, unable to get two hands on the ball, would see the shot narrowly enter the net under the crossbar.
With time expiring in the season-opener, the Huskie pressed the attack and were rewarded with a corner kick opportunity in added time. After fans saw a flurry of shot attempts and blocks, the ball would find veteran midfielder
Jade Houmphanh who sent a beautiful strike from 20 yards out into the back of the net.
Houmphanh appears to have started the season right where she left off in 2023 which ended with six goals and nine points for the fifth-year nursing student.
With just seconds remaining the late score would solidify the draw between the top two finishers in the Prairie Division a season ago.
UP NEXT
The Huskies return to the pitch at Griffiths Stadium in Nutrien Park Sunday afternoon for a matchup with the Alberta Pandas. Kick off it set for 2pm with tickets available at
HuskieTickets.com. Fans unable to attend in person able to catch all the action live online at
CanadaWest.tv.
