Around the NSL: Wild week; Playoff race heats up; Roses bounce back

It was another Wild week in the Northern Super League — and talk about slaying giants.

Calgary defended its home pitch last Saturday and defeated the league-leading Ottawa Rapid 4-3 at McMahon Stadium.

For the Wild faithful who have stuck with the club all season, this one was for you.

The home side came out firing, barraging Mollie Eriksson and Melissa Dagenais with 16 shots towards the net, with nine of those shots on target.

Note to Ottawa: you knew Calgary was coming off a W Canadian Championship quarterfinal win and a draw against Toronto, but starting your backup goalkeeper for the “easy win?” Baiting the Wild to make a point may have not been the best plan of attack.

There’s so much more to say on Calgary’s well-deserved victory, so let’s dive into the storylines from Week 17.

Highlight of the week

So, you started your backup goalie because the Wild had five points going into last Saturday’s clash. Well, Ajax, Ont., product Serita Thurton took that personally.

Thurton scored a brace for the home side against the Rapid in the first half, after Australian Kahli Johnson opened scoring with a header against Ottawa in the 14th minute of play.

The forward’s first goal of the match was a beautiful strike that curled just over the fingertips of Eriksson (it’s worth watching the replay, it’s that pretty), while her game-winner was off a header from a solid corner kick and answered the Rapid’s own two first-half markers.

Teammate Jorian Baucom had the insurance marker for the Wild in the 76th minute, finishing a nifty spinarama off a pass from midfielder Josie Aulicino.

And let’s not forget goalkeeper Katelin Talbert. Once again, after facing a brutal season in the standings, Talbert has never lost her grit. She looked just as fresh as Week 1 on Saturday, turning away three of the six shots on target.

Let the record show, Calgary is a dark horse in the league despite only having eight points to show for it.

Vancouver back in the race

The Vancouver Rise had a monster win of its own last Saturday — standings wise.

The Rise defeated the Halifax Tides at home 2-1 and have pulled within striking distance of the league’s playoff line, just two points shy. Vancouver now has 19 to the Tides 21 points heading into Week 18. The playoff race is now firmly a five-team competition.

And speaking of braces, Jessica De Filippo had a brace of her own last Saturday, scoring both of Vancouver’s goals in the match. The forward now sits tied with Montreal forward Elyse Bennett for most goals this season (nine).

Striker Jordyn Rhodes had the lone goal for the visiting side, bringing her goal tally on the season to five — good enough to be tied for sixth place in the league alongside the Roses’ Tanya Boychuk and Rapid’s Keera Melenhorst.

Week 18 is a massive test for Vancouver as the club finds itself on the road in Ottawa tonight (6 p.m., TSN). But just ask the Wild — a win is more than possible.

Still coming up Roses

The Montreal Roses tried their best this week to prove last week’s column wrong. After firing bench boss Robert Rositoiu, the club shut out AFC Toronto 2-0 on Sunday under interim head coach Maryse Bard-Martel.

Midfielder Marie-Yasmine Alidou opened the scoring — her second marker of the year — on a penalty in the 55th minute before Bennett netted her ninth goal of the season in the 74th.

While this is a big win for the interim manager, but it came off the gloves of goalkeeper Anna Karpenko. Montreal were outshot by the Mighty Maroons 20-7 and Karpenko survived all of Toronto’s six corners.

The Roses are now just one regulation win away from tying for the league lead with the Rapid. Meanwhile, solidly third-place Toronto will try to bounce back against Halifax this Sunday (11 a.m. TSN) on the road.

Game to watch in Week 18

The game yours truly will be most looking forward to this week? Well, if you haven’t already jumped onto the Calgary Wild bandwagon — if not over Talbert’s tenacity, but just for the thrill of cheering for the league’s ultimate underdog this season — all eyes will be on Sunday’s clash at Stade Boréale.

The Montreal Roses host the Wild Sunday in the Week 18 finale (2 p.m., CBC Gem).

Get out the popcorn.

winnipegfreepress.com/graceannepaizen

Grace Anne Paizen
Sports Editor

Grace oversees the team that produces sports journalism for the Free Press.