WINNIPEG – It was a rainy day on the soccer pitch, but Manitoba looks to have sunny skies ahead this season.
The University of Manitoba capped off their opening two games of the season by defeating the University of Calgary 4-0, Sunday afternoon. On Saturday, in their home opener, the Bisons dispatched the University of Lethbridge 4-1. This marks the first time Manitoba has swept their opening season series.
Karli Colpitts led the way with three goals, and assisting on Caley Miskimmin's opening goal. It was the first ever hat trick for Bisons soccer. Colpitts had five goals on the weekend, after scoring two against Lethbridge. Ashley Forbes and Laura Harrison combined to give Manitoba the blank sheet.
With the win, Manitoba improves to 2-0-0 on the season. Calgary drops to 0-0-1.
Head coach Walt McKee said one of the goals for the weekend was to get two wins by maintaining possession. He also felt they did a great job of capitalizing when they could.
"The big thing was that when we had our opportunities to put the ball away, we did," said McKee. "Of course, Karli Colpitts came through again. She's got three goals again today. I'm thinking she probably had five chances and she put three of them away. What more could you ask for from your centre forward."
McKee was once again happy with the performance of his "Big Three", the line of Colpitts, Miskimmin and Desiree Scott, who had two assists.
"Far as I'm concerned those three are the best forward line in Canada. They still have a lot of work ahead of them, but they keep playing well together."
The Bisons struck early when Copitts sent Miskimmin. She avoided an attempted block by Dinos goaltender Courtney Heffernan, and tapped in the loose ball for her first goal of the season. Miskimmin's goal came at the 4-minute mark.
Calgary nearly got on the board themselves, when Joanna Ng powered a shot just over the head of Manitoba keeper, Ashley Forbes, but could not beat the iron.
Colpitts scored her first goal of the game off of a touch pass from Miskimmin. That made the score 2-0 at the 29-minute mark. She added her second goal eight minutes later on a great single effort. Moving the ball along the end line, just to the right of the Dinos net, Colpitts placed a shot that directed off the post, then the crossbar, into the far end of the net. At the 60-minute mark, Colpitts added her third of game. With a clear path to the goal, she booted one just out of the reach of Heffernan.
Morena Ianniello had an opportunity to break the Bisons goose egg at the 70-minute mark. After just entering the game as a substitution, Ianiello put a low shot on goal that got past Laura Harrison, who had also just entered as a sub. The Bison home crowd held their breath as the ball bounded towards the goal, but it bounced harmlessly off the right post and out of play.
Next up for the Bisons, is a two-game series with the University of Regina Cougars. Regina opened their season against the same Lethbridge and Calgary teams, Manitoba faced. The Cougars earned a 1-1 tie with the Dinos after a goal in the last minute of injury time.
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