The Dinos women’s soccer team traveled to the abrasive city of Regina Thur., Nov. 2 to defend their title as Canada West’s top squad. However, winning the title in the Reg’ proved more difficult than it was on their home turf in 2005.
The Dinos’ first match was against the Trinity Western University Spartans–a team they had tied and lost to in their two previous meetings this season. Despite this chapel-sized hurdle to overcome our ladies made like pterodactyls and prepared to sink their claws into their prey and take off. Unfortunately, they quickly realized a Spartan is not easy prey to get a grip on. Each team’s defence was successful in thwarting attempts from the other’s and the halftime buzzer buzzed before any goals were goaled.
As the second half began to take form, the Dinos finally managed to get a claw into the Spartans. Rookie Cayla Scavo managed to get one by the Spartans’ goalkeeper in the 55th minute, which deflected off the post. Luckily, Katie Blundell was in the right position to field the rebound and slide it in for the Dinos’ first.
However, the Spartans didn’t waste much time drawing their weapon of choice to lop off one of the Dinos’ legs with a game-tying free-kick goal less than a minute later. The now one-legged, pterodactyl-esque Dinos fought for the game-winner, but the Spartans managed to chop their other leg off before they had the chance. In the 69th minute the Spartans put a ball over Dinos’ goalie Alana Knowles’ head despite the defence’s best efforts to clear the ball.
As the clock ticked down, the Dinos’ wings failed to pick them up from their 2-1 deficit.
The loss meant the Dinos did not move on in the tournament, or season for that matter. The Spartans went on to defeat the top-ranked University of Victoria Vikes 2-0 Sat., Nov. 4 and University of British Columbia Thunderbirds 1-0 Sun., Nov. 5 to claim the CW Championship crown. Those bastards. At least our ladies scored the solemn goal on them.