Soccer Shorts: soccersaurs finish season on high note

With two games remaining, the University of Calgary Dinos entered play knowing they needing to grab six points from their opponents if they wished to play in the post-season. The Dinos were, however, in tough against the nationally ranked Trinity Western Spartans and the Fraser Valley Cascades Oct. 26 and 27.

Play began on Fri. in Langley, British Columbia with the Spartans dominating the ball early and leading 1-nil after a ninth-minute tally by Canada West goal leader Nathan Pogue. As was the case with most of the first half, Trinity Western continued to control the play until the 31st minute, when Adrian Kekec was sent in all alone on Dinos goalkeeper J.P. Crescenzi. Kekec deftly avoided a charging Crescenzi and put home his seventh goal of the year and the final goal of the game. The game settled 2-o for the home side and put the nail in the coffin for this year’s edition of the soccer squad.

While Saturday’s game against Fraser Valley University wasn’t for a playoff spot, it was still an important game for the soccersaurs. It marked the end of era, so to speak, for the Dinos, as loyal fifth-year players Brian McDonnell and Matthew Deeprose concluded their eligibility in Canadian Interuniversity Sport. On the final start of his university career, McDonnell was outstanding, making 9 saves in a 1-1 tie. Not to be outdone, Deeprose finished his tenure with the Dinos by assisting on the game-tying goal from Jeremy Jenkyns. The 2007 edition of the Dinos end their year with a mark of 4-7-3.

..Austin Paladeau

The University of Calgary women soccersaurs finished their season with a win and loss Oct. 27 and 28.

Saturday’s faceoff against the Trinity Western University Spartans started the must-win-all weekend set for the Dinos. Spartan Lindsay Rohla led the charge against the ladysaurs, scoring two of the team’s four goals. The Dinos failed to take advantage of the Spartans’ sloppy play in the second half with foiled instances like Lindsay Burrowes’ free kick attempt at the latter end of the 45 minutes. Spartan Becca Ferguson scored TWU’s winning goal, leaving the score at 4-2 and shutting the Dinos out of post-season competition.

Sunday’s game featured two teams not going to the playoffs, making for an interesting playing situation. The Dinos’ opponents, the Fraser Valley University Cascades, displayed haphazard technique, allowing the soccersaurs offensive control of the ball and two goals in the first half. Morena Ianniello and Katie Blundell displayed great teamwork as they scored and assisted each other for the first two goals while Saaraa Premji closed off the season with a bang, scoring the Dinos’ winning third goal. The game–and the season–finished at 3-1.

With this last weekend, the lady soccersauruses brought things to a close at 5-7-2.

..Amanda Hu