Mt Royal Cougars
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
MATCH DAY 11 and 12
For the first time in CIS play, it was an undefeated weekend at home for the Cougars. They battled through the cold, blizzarding flurries and the retro jersey comeback to claim the 4 points!
Saturday was the first match day where the MRU Cougars were set to take on the University of Manitoba Bisons. Despite a calm morning, a wild snowstorm started right before the team was set to warm up. The game ended up being delayed an hour and a half after much discussion between coaches, officials and CIS big wigs. After much hard work and dedication from the adoring fans and parents, the field was shoveled clean and the game went on! It was a wet, slippery and disorganized match right from the get go as both teams battled to make simple passes and keep possession. Kinzner was first on the sheet with a low volley off of a free-kick to make it 1-0 for the home squad. Minutes later, Manitoba tied it up with a scramble around the net. The score was 1-1 at half and ended this way after full time.
The Cougar’s next challenge was the University of Winnepeg Wesmen, who are also in their first CIS season this year. As the forecast was not looking any better for Sunday’s match, it was decided that the game was to be played at MRU’s past ACAC rival, SAIT’s nearby turf facility as a turf field was thought to potentially improve playing conditions for this show down. Also to th Cougar's dismay, the navy jerseys are missing! Thus, the retro-jerseys returned as the Cougars rocked 1980's Mount Royal College jerseys, complete with collar paired, with mens shorts- it was a fashion statement for the books.
The game began slow as the Cougars struggled to keep possession in the wet conditions and against the Wesmen’s strong midfield. Valadao was first on the board with her first CIS goal in the first half when she launched the ball from outside the box over the keeper’s head. Hodl and Lockhart both added goals in the second half after a serious offensive half from the Cougar’s squad- outshooting their opponents 10-1 in the second half. The Cougars took their first win after a long hard first season in CIS. The back 4 and keeper Marklund stayed strong to help earn the Coug’s first clean sheet of the league play! It was more than simply a win for 5th year player Janelle Carbert as this game was her last as an MRU Cougar. With only one graduating player, the Cougars look to build on this small success and come back stronger than ever next year! Finishing in 10th place, the Cougar’s placed higher than their fellow league newcomers UNBC and UofW, great season Cougs!
**entry provided by 5th year Janelle Carbert
Saturday was the first match day where the MRU Cougars were set to take on the University of Manitoba Bisons. Despite a calm morning, a wild snowstorm started right before the team was set to warm up. The game ended up being delayed an hour and a half after much discussion between coaches, officials and CIS big wigs. After much hard work and dedication from the adoring fans and parents, the field was shoveled clean and the game went on! It was a wet, slippery and disorganized match right from the get go as both teams battled to make simple passes and keep possession. Kinzner was first on the sheet with a low volley off of a free-kick to make it 1-0 for the home squad. Minutes later, Manitoba tied it up with a scramble around the net. The score was 1-1 at half and ended this way after full time.
The Cougar’s next challenge was the University of Winnepeg Wesmen, who are also in their first CIS season this year. As the forecast was not looking any better for Sunday’s match, it was decided that the game was to be played at MRU’s past ACAC rival, SAIT’s nearby turf facility as a turf field was thought to potentially improve playing conditions for this show down. Also to th Cougar's dismay, the navy jerseys are missing! Thus, the retro-jerseys returned as the Cougars rocked 1980's Mount Royal College jerseys, complete with collar paired, with mens shorts- it was a fashion statement for the books.
The game began slow as the Cougars struggled to keep possession in the wet conditions and against the Wesmen’s strong midfield. Valadao was first on the board with her first CIS goal in the first half when she launched the ball from outside the box over the keeper’s head. Hodl and Lockhart both added goals in the second half after a serious offensive half from the Cougar’s squad- outshooting their opponents 10-1 in the second half. The Cougars took their first win after a long hard first season in CIS. The back 4 and keeper Marklund stayed strong to help earn the Coug’s first clean sheet of the league play! It was more than simply a win for 5th year player Janelle Carbert as this game was her last as an MRU Cougar. With only one graduating player, the Cougars look to build on this small success and come back stronger than ever next year! Finishing in 10th place, the Cougar’s placed higher than their fellow league newcomers UNBC and UofW, great season Cougs!
**entry provided by 5th year Janelle Carbert
Monday, October 22, 2012
First Signing of the 2013 Class
MRU Cougars are excited to announce the signing and commitment of Navroop Virk to the Cougars for the 2013 season.
Nav, is a talented attacking player with good skills and sure to help out the Cougars attack for the upcoming season.
"I have coached Nav before in youth soccer and know what she is capable of" - added coach Fusco.
Virk will complete her last season as a youth player and then join the Cougars for pre-season camp. We look forward to having her in the squad.
*More signings to be listed in the coming weeks.....
Nav, is a talented attacking player with good skills and sure to help out the Cougars attack for the upcoming season.
"I have coached Nav before in youth soccer and know what she is capable of" - added coach Fusco.
*More signings to be listed in the coming weeks.....
Sunday, October 21, 2012
From the Coaching Technical Area.....
Our first year in the league with a young squad, let's break it down.
Schedule and Table:
Schedule and Table:
- the team was on the road for the first five games of the season, and managed a point in five tough games.
- the team had a decent home record of 1-1-3
- We finished 10th of 13 teams and tied the 8th and 9th placed team in the league.
- Of the three new schools in the league, we topped them all in the standings.
- Of the top four teams in the table, we lost three allowing 9 goals and tied one (1-1).
Stats:
- 9 Goals For, 26 Goals Against for a -17 rating. (comparing to the other new schools of -50, and -65 ratings)
- The largest score lines occurred on the road losing 5-0 to UofVic and UofS.
- The last game of the season, the team earned their first clean sheet and scored more than one goal.
- We scored more goals than the newer schools.
Roster:
- of the current roster; only one player is no longer eligible for the 2013 season due to fifth year graduation; Good Luck Carbert!
- this year the team had eleven 1st year players of a 22 player roster.
- Tansley (3 yr) logged the most minutes played during league play.
The team will now get some well deserved time off from training and focus on their studies until the Christmas Break. In this time, the players will be participating in individual post-season meetings with the coach and creating a plan for the future of the program while treating any nagging season injuries.
The team should be proud of their successes this season regardless of the outcome of the standings. We were 6 points from a playoff spot where we tied both teams above us.
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Match Day 9 and 10
Match
Day 9
The
morning after an 8-hour bus ride down to Saskatchewan, the Cougars went up
against the University of Regina. We came out strong in the first half and
managed to hit a couple cross bars in the first 20 minutes. Half way through
the first half, the squad began to get unorganized and our level of play
dropped which allowed the Regina Cougars to score in the thirty-seventh minute
from the box, after an attack and cross from the left side. Going into the
second half we all knew we needed to pick up our game in order to leave with
points. Although our possession wasn’t at it’s finest, the MRU Cougars were
able to attack the net with our 11 shots, to the opponents 5 shots. As the second half remained scoreless
(score still being 1-0 Regina), we transformed our formation into a 3-4-4 to
increase our movement going forward and in hopes to score a couple goals.
Unfortunately, as we pushed through the end of the second half, the MRU Cougars
were defeated by the UofR Cougars.
Although
we were all disappointed to leave the field and not having gained any points, we
put the loss behind us in able to focus on what we needed to do in our next
match against UofS. We climbed back on the bus for another 3-hour drive to
Saskatoon, where we will meet our next competition.
Match
Day 10
The
match against UofS started out very rocky and slow paced. We struggled to get
combination passes together and had a tough time defending the fast moving
Huskies. It was easy to see the MRU Cougars legs were dead from travelling and weren’t able to compete at our highest level. In the first thirty
minutes, UofS managed to score three goals, allowing them to jump ahead 3-0
before half. Going into the second
half we knew we had to really bear down and focus. The squad was unable to come
back and ended up losing 5-0, as the Huskies scored two more goals in the
second half. It’s easy to say that we were out played and was unable to show
our competitive, aggressive, and fast paced level of play. We left Saskatchewan
with our head down as it was another 0 point weekend.
With
that behind us, we look forward to playing our last two games at our home
field. Diving into a week of training, we know what we need to do in order to
get or first win. Our next two games are against Manitoba and Winnipeg, which
are two teams that are very beatable.
**submitted by first year, Glenna Burrows.
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Match Day 7 and 8
Match Day 7
The second home match of the season for the Cougars against the #2 CIS ranked TWU Spartans. The team started out well and created a few chances in the first 10 minutes. A start that was very welcome in the team development. After a scoreless first half, the team held a strong attacking side into a strong breeze. The second half start we would of loved back; TWU scored on a header inside the goal area and it seemed to bother the side as within 10 minutes, TWU had another on a goal mouth scramble. At this time, the team was down 2-0 but did not quit....as the team continued to push forward, TWU managed to earn another in extra time to make the final 3-0.
A few positives in the match that the team looked to build on as they faced #10 ranked UBC the following day.
Match Day 8
The match started with a goal 4 minutes in off a mix up off a corner and the squad found themslevs down 1-0 early...after a few hard tackles and some determination, the team won the ball in the midfield and found the strikers for a combination goal where Hodl found her first of the season, evening the score a 1-1 just before half. The second half, was scoreless and a HUGE victory for the team as many of our goals against this season, have come in the second half of play.
We dealt with the pressure late in the match to secure the much needed point and the team moves on to the prairies now for it's final four match of the regular season play.
We are still chasing Calgary for that final playoff spot. Training was off for Thanksgiving Monday and the team resumes training on Tuesday as we look to depart for Regina on Friday.
The squad is making progress...but we'd love to find our first win in the coming days.
The second home match of the season for the Cougars against the #2 CIS ranked TWU Spartans. The team started out well and created a few chances in the first 10 minutes. A start that was very welcome in the team development. After a scoreless first half, the team held a strong attacking side into a strong breeze. The second half start we would of loved back; TWU scored on a header inside the goal area and it seemed to bother the side as within 10 minutes, TWU had another on a goal mouth scramble. At this time, the team was down 2-0 but did not quit....as the team continued to push forward, TWU managed to earn another in extra time to make the final 3-0.
A few positives in the match that the team looked to build on as they faced #10 ranked UBC the following day.
Match Day 8
The match started with a goal 4 minutes in off a mix up off a corner and the squad found themslevs down 1-0 early...after a few hard tackles and some determination, the team won the ball in the midfield and found the strikers for a combination goal where Hodl found her first of the season, evening the score a 1-1 just before half. The second half, was scoreless and a HUGE victory for the team as many of our goals against this season, have come in the second half of play.
We dealt with the pressure late in the match to secure the much needed point and the team moves on to the prairies now for it's final four match of the regular season play.
We are still chasing Calgary for that final playoff spot. Training was off for Thanksgiving Monday and the team resumes training on Tuesday as we look to depart for Regina on Friday.
The squad is making progress...but we'd love to find our first win in the coming days.
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Match Day 6
MRU v UNBC
Prior to the match - the player's throughout the week were asked to help promote the school sport while educating the student population on the women's soccer season home opener by wearing their team uniforms and becoming human statues...here is what unfolded...
Prior to the match - the player's throughout the week were asked to help promote the school sport while educating the student population on the women's soccer season home opener by wearing their team uniforms and becoming human statues...here is what unfolded...
On Saturday, the match got underway...and things did start positively for the Cougars with multiple chances early to find the goal. Unfortunately, for the majority of the game, the Cougars found the opposing goalkeepers hands. The team managed to get 40 shots away and was only able to score 2. Thankfully, the 2 matches the what the team gave up and walked away with the 2-2 draw.
Bloom, scoring her first CIS goal, found the back of the net to start the comeback with a nicely lofted ball over the keeper. As minutes ticked away, and the team pushed players forward, Lockhart played a ball into a streaking Kinzner who played ping-pong with the goalkeeper and talked the ball into the net finding the much needed point that weekend.
The Cougars are now looking to regrouping while hosting 1st place TWU on Saturday.
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