Megan Graca is determined to finish her final season as a Bison on a high note. The 22-year-old center mid-fielder has been a key cog in the Bisons attack this year – her deft passes often finding their mark and leading to golden scoring opportunities for a Herd squad with a lot of offensive firepower.
Graca's skill was on display again on the weekend as a great ball to the middle led to a goal by Chelsea Dubiel in the first half, opening the scoring and proving the decisive marker in a 2-0 victory over cross-town rivals the University of Winnipeg Wesmen at the first ever women's soccer game at IGF on Friday. Graca's assist gave her five on the season, tying her for second place in the Canada West conference – but she was happier she could participate in such a historic game.
"It was a little bit nerve-racking since there were so many people there and it was a really big stadium but it was a really good opportunity and I was glad that I got to experience it before I was done my Bison career," said the fifth-year Arts student.
To top things off Graca scored the only goal in the Duckworth Challenge rematch the following day, leading her team to a sweep and putting them in a solid position to make the playoffs with a 6-2-2 record and third place in the East Region heading into the final four matches.
"I think in the end we wanted it more than they did and we knew it was an important game - so we just had to finish it. And one goal was enough," said Graca, who hails from Thunder Bay, Ontario and was a standout with the Lakehead Express soccer club before heading east to the University of Manitoba.
Coach Vanessa Martinez Lagunas likes the leadership and savvy that Graca provides from her mid-field spot.
"One of her advantages is that she is a very experienced player so she reads the game well," said Martinez Lagunas. "She makes killer passes and you can see she is near the top in Canada West in assists. I'm really, really proud of her."
Martinez Lagunas also credits Graca's dedication in her final campaign. It started in the pre-season.
"This year she arrived a lot earlier and it gave her more time to train with the team and that is paying off," said Martinez Lagunas.
Going into the final four games Graca knows what is at stake. If the team plays well down the stretch an East Region home playoff date could be in the works. If that does come to fruition, Graca's stellar, unselfish play will have had a lot to do with it.
"I'm really looking for my teammates. I'm not trying to score all the time; I think assists are just as good as getting a goal – to me that's more important."
Later this week the Bisons travel to British Columbia to play two of the upper- echelon teams in the Canada West Conference. The Herd faces the 6-3-1 University of Fraser Valley Cascades on Friday evening in Abbotsford and then the second place 7-1-2 powerhouse Trinity Western Spartans on Saturday.
