After two seasons without a full travel schedule, the Bisons soccer team has been busy this pre-season as they embark on a loaded Canada West campaign. Manitoba will play games across western Canada for the first time since 2019 as part of the eight-team Prairie Division, beginning this weekend in Saskatchewan. The Herd takes on Regina on Friday, August 26 at 8 PM CT, followed by a tilt against the Huskies on Saturday, Aug. 27 at 6 PM CT. Catch all Bisons road games on canadawest.tv. Click here to purchase a game or season pass. 

The Herd and Regina split two contests each last year in the modified East Division, however Manitoba has had Regina's number historically, including 11 wins on the road since 2007. The Huskies and Bisons have had an equally intense rivarly, including four draws in their last eight games. Manitoba hasn't won on the road against the U of S since 2008, but have the firepower and versatility to make it happen in 2022. 

HOOFPRINTS
Last season, Manitoba finished sixth in the conference in goals, with 20, nine of which came from U SPORTS All-Rookie member Bianca Cavalcanti. Four of her tallies came against Regina, and she'll look for a similar performance on Friday, alongside an attack that includes second-years Tabata Bravo and Jenna Kunkel, as well as fourth-year Nicole Davis.

Captain Jessica Tsai, who enters her third year of eligibility, also registered 12 shots on net in four games against Regina in 2021 and was third in that category a year ago, with 31. Head coach Vanessa Martinez-Lagunas emphasized the importance of finishing this season, and Tsai's accuracy and vision will be important in making this happen for a team that was sixth in CanWest a year ago, with 197 shots. 

The Bisons and Huskies -- the latter of whom played for bronze in the Canada West playoffs last year -- combined for 12 goals in four contests in 2021. The green dogs earned the upper hand, going 2-0-2, and quick starts were critical. In both of their victories a season ago, the Huskies scored within the first 15 minutes of play. One area that Manitoba can take advantage is on set pieces. They had a total of 14 in their four games against Sask a year ago, where second-year Breyanna Johnston-Krulicki, who started every game in 2021, was invaluable.

Fourth-year goalkeeper Karina Bagi, who stands at 6'0", also had an excellent 2021 campaign and has been described by Martinez-Laguna as "a raw diamond with amazing potential to be one of the best goalkeepers in the league." She recorded 18 saves against the Huskies last season and has improved tremendously with her footwork and mental performance. Look for another excellent campaign from Bagi in 2022.