Bisons soccer women to host playoff game against Cougars

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This article was published 17/10/2022 (1446 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The University of Manitoba women’s soccer team is going to the Canada West conference post-season, and it will be on home turf for the first time in program history.

On Monday, the Bisons earned the right to host the Regina Cougars in a 4 vs. 5 play-in game at 5:30 p.m. Saturday at IG Field after Canada West stripped the MacEwan University Griffins of nine victories for using an ineligible player during the 2022 conference schedule.

The decision bumped the Bisons (7-6-1) from a fifth- to fourth-place finish. Edmonton-based MacEwan, first-place finishers with a 12-2 record, dropped to 3-11 and sixth place.

Regina, 2-7-5, moved up one spot to fifth.

Karina Bagi, Manitoba’s starting goalkeeper, admitted playing in a game of this magnitude brings additional pressure.

“I definitely do because playoffs is a single-knockout round and we’re playing Regina, a team we have a lot of experience with,” said Bagi, who backstopped the Bisons to a 1-0 win over the host Lethbridge Pronghorns on Saturday before dropping a 2-0 decision to the Mount Royal Cougars in Calgary on Sunday. “And last game we played them it wasn’t the best outcome.”

The Bisons beat the Cougars 3-1 on Aug. 23 in Regina before being held to a 1-1 draw at IG Field on Sept. 24.

Saturday’s showdown will be the Bisons’ fourth game under the bright lights of the big stadium and Bagi would dearly love for it to be the club’s first win at the venue after two losses and a draw.

“I feel like now that we have a couple of games under our belt, we‘re collectively excited to play there,” said Bagi, a fourth-year player from Kelowna, B.C. “It’s going to be a big moment for us, holding our first playoff game at (IG Field) let alone in general. It’s exciting because we could get our first win in the stadium this year, right, so there’s a lot riding on it.”

Saturday’s home playoff game is part of a busy menu at IG Field. At 1 p.m., the Manitoba football team hosts the Alberta Golden Bears in an important Canada West regular-season matchup.

“This is really special because it’s the first time in program history that we’re hosting a playoff game,” said U of M head coach Vanessa Martinez Lagunas. “For fans that loves sports, they can do the full eight hours.”

A significant obstacle to victory could be the absence of star forward Bianca Cavalcanti, who was red-carded for an altercation during the handshake line following Sunday’s loss to Mount Royal.

By rule, the red card should result in a one-game suspension.

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“We’re appealing that,” said Martinez Lagunas. “It was a very unfortunate event and there is not evidence that she did what they are saying she did. So, we are appealing that decision but right now I don’t want to comment further until we (hear) that appeal.”

Cavalcanti, the team’s leading scorer, has nine goals and four assists in 12 regular-season games this season.

“She’s of course a very important part of the team but having Bianca or not having Bianca, we have 32 girls that are part of the team as well and everyone is ready to contribute,” said Martinez Lagunas. “If we don’t have her, I’m sure other teammates are going to step up.”

mike.sawatzky@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @sawa14