By Kirk Jessome
It was a much-improved season for the women’s soccer team thanks to a strong mix of veteran experience and first-year talent.
The team’s 7-3-2 finish was the first winning record posted by the Tigers since the 2014-15 season and placed them as the number three seed in the AUS championship.
First-year goaltender Kate Fines put together an incredible season for the Tigers, starting all 12 games and collecting clean sheets in half of them. Her efforts earned her the AUS rookie of the year honour, as well as being named to the U SPORTS all-rookie team.
The bulk of the Tigers offence was provided by senior Meagan McKenna who led the team with four goals on the season. Following behind her was first-year striker Haley Birrell with three goals in only five starts on the year.
The impact of new players in the program has not been dismissed by head coach Cindy Tye, who is only in her second season at the helm herself.
“We were very pleased with the transition all our younger players made to the AUS. Fines, Birrell, Olivia MacIntyre, Alyssa Hartlen and Breagh Bates were all able to make significant contributions throughout the season,” says Tye.
Starting off the season with three-straight shutout victories, the Tigers put together a stellar September, finishing with a record of 4-2-1 only allowing two goals in the month. The Tigers had a spot in the playoffs locked up by the first game of October with a decisive 3-1 win over UPEI before ending the season with a 7-3-2 record.
The AUS quarter-final game did not go as planned for the number three-ranked Tigers when they took on UNB. Each team found the back of the net once per half, with the Tigers scoring the equalizer in the 78th minute to force overtime. With no goals found in overtime, each team sent five players to the penalty dot to find a winner. UNB was able to convert on all five chances while the Tigers were stopped on the second and fell 3-2 to end their season.
“It was disappointing for staff and players in terms of the result, but we were very pleased with the way they played overall,” says Tye. “Compared to last year’s quarter-final we were more competitive and connected.”
The off-season plan for the Tigers includes getting stronger both physically and mentally according to Tye.
“We need to add more of a winning mindset when it comes to getting results,” explains Tye. “We have added strength and conditioning and technical skills and we will continue to develop those in the coming months.”
With a strong recruiting class adding skill at both ends of the field combined with key returning players, the Tigers look to continue their winning ways and make a deep run into the playoffs next season.