CALGARY, Alta. — The Mount Royal Cougars hosted the University of Saskatchewan Huskies on a sunny Sunday afternoon (Sept. 20) at Stadium Field. The Cougars entered the match coming off a 3-1 victory over the MacEwan University Griffins on Saturday, looking to build on the win. The Huskies, meanwhile, looked to bounce back after falling 3-0 to the University of Calgary Dinos on Saturday.
The match got off to a fast-paced start, with both teams creating scoring opportunities and trading possession throughout the opening half. Each side found stretches of pressure in the attacking third, with the Cougars looking to use their pace on the attack while Saskatchewan worked to create opportunities through the midfield. Despite the back-and-forth play, neither team could break through before halftime, sending the two teams into the break tied 0-0.
The second half continued in similar fashion, with both teams battling for possession and creating scoring opportunities. As the Cougars began to apply more pressure in the attacking third, Saskatchewan goalkeeper
Jaron Slopinski came up with several key saves to keep MRU off the scoresheet. The Cougars continued to test the Huskies' defence, but Saskatchewan remained organized and kept the match level.
Mount Royal continued to press forward into the final 10 minutes, while Saskatchewan looked to create opportunities on the counterattack. Slopinski remained a key presence for the Huskies, making several important stops to keep the match scoreless as it entered its final stages.
MRU would finally break through in the 79th minute, as first-year defender Amadeo Chamoun found the back of the net for his first goal as a Cougar, giving Mount Royal a 1-0 lead. The Cougars kept the momentum rolling, finding the back of the net less than five minutes later as third-year forward Jaise Shaw converted in the 83rd minute to extend MRU's lead to 2-0.
Mount Royal held onto its two-goal lead through the final whistle, securing a 2-0 victory over Saskatchewan. The Cougars will host the Thompson Rivers University Wolfpack at Stadium Field next Friday as they look to extend their winning streak, while the Huskies will return home to host the University of Victoria Vikes on Saturday.
