SASKATOON, Sask. — The Saskatchewan Huskies delivered one of their strongest performances of the season Sunday afternoon (Sept. 20) at Griffiths Stadium, but two second-half goals from unbeaten Mount Royal handed the Huskies a heartbreaking 2-1 loss.
Facing a Cougars squad that entered the match with a perfect 5-0-0 record, Saskatchewan controlled much of the play from the opening whistle and spent long stretches on the attack. The Huskies generated chance after chance in the opening half, forcing Diede Van Laar into a series of key saves while earning seven corner kicks before halftime.
The early pressure finally paid off in the 23rd minute. Following another sustained attack in the Mount Royal end,
Danielle Lehmann found the back of the net to give Saskatchewan a deserved 1-0 advantage. The goal was Lehmann's second of the season and capped a dominant opening half for the Huskies.
Saskatchewan continued to dictate play throughout the first 45 minutes, outshooting Mount Royal 10-1 and holding the visitors to just a single shot on target. Meanwhile, goalkeeper
Alyssa Paydli was called upon only once and made the save comfortably.
The Huskies nearly doubled their lead early in the second half as
Cheyenne Lehmann,
Jenna Steacy, and
Isabelle Lachance all tested the Mount Royal goal. However, Van Laar continued her impressive afternoon between the posts, turning away Saskatchewan's opportunities and keeping the Cougars within striking distance.
Mount Royal found its equalizer in the 64th minute when Ava Tingstad finished off a scoring chance to level the match at 1-1 despite the Huskies carrying the bulk of the offensive play.
The two sides traded chances down the stretch, but Saskatchewan continued to press for a winner.
Cassidy Vieira,
Hazel Turnbull, and
Eva Ricken each forced saves from Van Laar, who finished the match with 12 stops. The Huskies fired 17 shots overall and put 13 on target, but could not find a second breakthrough.
Just as it appeared the match was headed toward a draw, the Cougars struck in the dying moments. Analisa Galvez scored just as the clock hit the 90-minute mark to give Mount Royal a 2-1 lead.
The result was a difficult one for Saskatchewan to swallow after thoroughly testing a strong divisional opponent. The Huskies outshot Mount Royal 17-7, held a commanding 13-6 edge in shots on goal, and earned eight corner kicks compared to just one for the visitors.
Next weekend, the Huskies will face off with their provincial rival in a doubleheader against the Regina Cougars, playing in Regina Friday night (Sept. 25) before returning to Griffiths Sunday afternoon (Sept. 27).
