by Cody Baugh

It was a disappointing season for the women’s soccer team who never quite lived up to their potential. The Tigers have been known as a perennial AUS playoff team for the last decade, but failed to qualify this season with a record of 4-6-3.

The Tigers started the season on a positive note scoring two first-half goals against the Mount Allison Mounties but would go on to concede three unanswered tallies. After losing two matches on opening weekend, the Tigers went on to a 0-0 draw with UNB before winning the next two with a 4-0 win over Moncton and a 1-0 victory over Saint Mary’s. Fifth-year captain Kristy McGregor-Bales scored two in the win over Moncton, while veterans Scarlett Smith and Victoria Parkinson scored the other two. It was first-year Morgan MacIntosh who scored the lone goal in the victory over Saint Mary’s.

By the end of September, the Tigers record sat at 2-3-1 after dropping a 2-1 decision to Memorial.

In October, the Tigers went 2-2-2 and found themselves fighting for a post-season spot. They earned a 2-2 draw with Acadia to start things off. McGregor-Bales and first-year Rachelle Lalande got the markers for the Tigers. After a 1-0 loss to UPEI, the Tigers went on a two-game win streak with wins over Saint Mary’s and StFX. Fourth-year striker Doriana Homerski scored to lead the Tigers to a 1-0 win over the Huskies while Shea Jeffrey-Novak and Jensen Hudder found the back of the net in their 2-1 win over the X-Women.

With their playoff hopes on the line in the middle of October, the Tigers early season lapse came back to haunt them as the tail end of their schedule was filled with two meetings against eventual AUS champions, the Cape Breton Capers.

Dalhousie went goalless in their final three matches, falling twice to the Capers (3-0 and 1-0) and fighting to a 0-0 draw against the X-Women.

The Tigers were competitive in every game they played this season, but had trouble finding the back of the net when they needed big goals. McGregor-Bales and Jeffrey-Novak led the team through the regular season with three goals apiece.

Katie Morgan received the lion share of starts in net this year, recording four shutout wins and a 1.00 goals against average.

McGregor-Bales and Parkinson were both named AUS second team all-stars. Both players wrapped up their AUS careers this season alongside Doriana Homerski, Katie Morgan, and Samantha MacDonald.