The Bison women's soccer team is ready for their 11th season in CIS action as third year Bison head coach Vanessa Martinez Lagunas has had an intense and competitive training camp plus pre-season schedule for Manitoba's 25 person roster.
Manitoba starts the 2015 Canada West regular season at home by hosting the Thompson Rivers WolfPack on Friday, Sept. 4 at 6 p.m. CT for the season opener and then plays at home against the UBC Okanagan Heat on Saturday, Sept. 5 at 4 p.m. CT. Both games held at the Turf Fields – West Field. Tickets are available at the field for $5.
In pre-season action prior to conference regular season starting on September 4 at home, Manitoba had a 3-2 record in the 2015 pre-season as they won 1-0 over Minnesota-Crookston at home on Aug. 28 and then competed at the Great Plains Challenge tournament in Regina from August 17-20 and went 2-2. The tournament had six Canada West team participating (host Regina, Saskatchewan, Mount Royal, Winnipeg, Alberta and Manitoba) during the four days with the Bisons winning 1-0 over Mount Royal plus 2-1 win over Regina and lost 3-0 to Alberta and 1-0 to Saskatchewan.
The Bisons have nine rookies on the roster along with six sophomores, four players in their third year while two players are playing in year four and have only four players as fifth year seniors (captain and goalkeeper Chloe Werle, midfielder Megan Graca, defence Elyce Molyneaux and midfielder Alyssa Robinson).
There will be a new format for qualifying for post-season in Canada West for women's soccer in 2015. Top 6 in each of the two regions will qualify for the playoffs. There will be now 14 regular season games as opposed to 12 in 2014 campaign and the Bisons seek to improve on their tenth place in the conference out of 16 teams when they posted a 4-4-4 record.
Bison women's soccer - 2015 Season Opener Weekend at Turf Fields – West Field
Friday, Sept. 4 Bisons vs. Thompson Rivers Kickoff: 6 p.m. CT
Saturday, Sept. 5 Bisons vs. UBC Okanagan Kickoff: 4 p.m. CT
