The Bison women's soccer team (2-3-1) continues their 12th season in CIS action as they host the Mount Royal Cougars (2-4-0) on Saturday, October 1 at 4 p.m. CT and then host MacEwan Griffins (3-2-1) on Sunday, Oct. 2 at 4 p.m. CT. Both games will be held at the Turf Fields – west side at U of Manitoba Fort Garry campus.
Manitoba is fourth in the Prairie Division standings after three weeks of conference action. The Top 6 in each of the two conference divisions will qualify for the playoffs. The Bisons seek to improve on their fourth place finish in the division (ninth place overall finish in the conference) out of 16 teams when they posted a 7-5-2 conference regular season record in 2015.
The Bisons are seeking their first wins at home this season, as they are 0-1-1 record at home so far. Manitoba is 2-2-0 (wins at UNBC and wins at Lethbridge) on the road. The Herd has scored seven goals and allowed seven goals this season.
Fifth year midfielder
Selina Speranza, two-time Smitty's Bison Sports Female Player of the Week, is now tied for third in conference goal scoring with five goals in six matches and tied for sixth with 22 shots while starting and playing in all six conference matches. In addition, captain
Amanda Wong is tied for fourth in Canada West with four assists. Fourth year forward
Alyssa Daley and second year midfielder
Sara Schur both have added one goal each.
Second year goalkeeper Maddie Wilford has started and played in all six conference games and is first with 47 conference saves, sixth in conference Save Pct. at .870, ninth in Goals Against Average at 1.17 plus tied for sixth with two shutouts and two conference wins.
Bison Notes: Last season, Manitoba defeated Mount Royal 2-1 on the road (Sept. 20/15) and tied 2-2 on the road at MacEwan (Sept. 19/15). Manitoba then faced the Griffins in the Canada West regional playoffs on the road and lost 2-0 (Oct. 30/15). The last time the Bisons played Mount Royal at home was in 2013 and the Bisons tied 3-3. Overall, the Bisons are 1-1-3 conference regular season record against Mount Royal while 0-1-1 conference reg. season record (0-1 in post-season) against MacEwan with this being the first time the Bisons host the Griffins in conference play.
