EDMONTON – Strong defensive play helped a highlight-reel first-half goal by Grace Mwasalla stand up as the difference for MacEwan in a 1-0 win over Calgary Sunday that was exactly the intense matchup you'd expect between two of the three remaining undefeated teams in the Canada West women's soccer ranks.

Only two remain with MacEwan moving to 6-0-0, ahead of UBC (4-0-0), while Calgary falls to 4-1-0.

Mwasalla netted her fifth game-winning goal of the season and broke the program's career GWG record with the ninth of her career when she scored the lone goal of the contest in the 40th minute. Hannah Supina lobbed in a high looping ball toward the box and into the wind that Mwasalla corralled in the air and flicked past goalkeeper Katie French.

The goal is just the second allowed by Calgary through the first five games of the year. 

Mwasalla later missed the net on a penalty kick in the 77th minute.

The win and shutout go to rookie goalkeeper Sabrina Alexander, who made five saves for her sixth victory of the season, surpassing the single season program record for most wins by a rookie keeper, set by Emily Burns in 2015.

Alexander's best save came in the 71st minute when Dinos leading goal scorer Ella Djuranic found daylight on the end of a through ball, but the rookie keeper charged out to cut the angle and parried a hard shot to the corner.

The MacEwan back line also provided some help in stoppage time. After a shot by Isabella DiPalma was turned away by Alexander, second-year forward Erica Mysko was right there for the rebound only to see her shot that appeared destined for the back of the net saved off the line by defender Abbey Wright.

Calgary earned 10 of their 12 corner kicks on the day in the second half when they pressed hard for the equalizer, outshooting the Griffins 14-5 in the final 45 minutes and 18-12 on the afternoon (6-4 on goal). But MacEwan's strong back line of Wright, Supina, Anneke Odinga and Ella Fownes kept them at bay.

The Griffins will next host Mount Royal University on Sept. 16, while the Dinos head back to Calgary to start a weekend homestand Saturday against Trinity Western.
 
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