Around the NSL: Rise falling, Boychuk’s beauty of a boot, Roses remain flawless

NOT to step on the toes of Week 3, which technically kicked off Wednesday, but can someone check the pulse of the Vancouver Rise?

The defending inaugural champs have lost of all three games this season. The Rise dropped its season opener 3-2 to AFC Toronto, then were shutout by the Montreal Roses 4-0 last Saturday. On Wednesday, the club was blanked again — this time at the hands of the Ottawa Rapid.

To get back to Week 2, seven shots — with only one making it on target — isn’t going to win a footy game. This was the abysmal stat line posted by the Rise in its matchup against the Roses. Montreal, meanwhile, had 16 shots on net with seven on target and four of those making it past Vancouver goalkeeper Morgan McAslan.

What might be worse is that Wednesday’s Week 3 game is the Rise’s last match until May 18, when they visit the Halifax Tides.

That’s a long time off to sit with a 0-3 hole to open the season.

Here are some other storylines that bubbled up in the women’s footy loop.

Highlight of the week

Take a bow, Tanya Boychuk. The Edmonton product scored twice in the Roses’ routing of the Rise last Saturday to give Montreal a 3-0 lead at the half.

After Elyse Bennett scored her second tally of the season from a beauty of a header in the 13th minute, Boychuk struck twice in four minutes — the first off a corner in the 45th, followed by a header in the 49th after Bennett’s kick rattled off the crossbar.

Boychuk already has five shots on the year, with two finding the back of the net.

If her backflip celebration after her first goal Saturday wasn’t enough of a highlight, her two markers were surely impressive.

Roses yet to blemish

Without attempting to sound like a Montreal Roses fan column, the club has shut out its two opponents to start the season.

The Roses opened the season with a 2-0 shutout over the Calgary Wild before taking down the reigning champ Rise 4-0 in Saturday’s matchup.

Goalie Anna Karpenko has looked solid in net for the squad. The Richmond Hill, Ont., product has stopped all seven shots she has faced.

How long the club can keep the goals-against streak at nil will be something to keep an eye on.

Toronto, Tides look sharp

Both AFC Toronto and the Halifax Tides have yet to lose a match early this season.

The Mighty Maroons opened the year by downing the Matheson Cup champs, followed by a 0-0 draw with the Tides on Sunday.

On the other end of that shared draw, Halifax won its home and season opener 3-1 over the Ottawa Rapid.

It will be interesting to see if the Tides can keep the trend going by shutting out the Rise when the clubs meet on May 18.

Game to watch in Week 3

And, speaking of the Mighty Maroons, AFC Toronto hosts the Montreal Roses Sunday (12 p.m. CT, CBC Gem) in the final game of Week 3.

Can Toronto hand Montreal its first goal-against of the season? Or their first loss?

With both clubs managing to defeat the Rise in the first two weeks, this one should be a dandy.

winnipegfreepress.com/graceannepaizen

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Grace Anne Paizen
Sports Editor

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