Around the NSL: Wild draw Roses; Wulf Rises to the occasion; Rapid on a roll

It finally happened: Montreal was scored on. Twice.

While the Roses managed to take away a draw, May Jones of the Calgary Wild netted a brace in the last six minutes of the match.

It was a heckuva finish.

Calgary remains in last place, but pulled a point away from the match. If anything, the club proved it can hold its own against one of the league’s best.

In fact, the Wild have only been shut out once this season and that was against the Roses in the season opener.

The club got its revenge — twice.

Calgary’s next match goes Sunday at home against the Halifax Tides (5 p.m. CT, TSN). Could this be the spark needed to start a standings climb?

Now that there remains no team with a clean scoresheet, let’s look at some other action from Week 4.

Highlight of the week

Vancouver Rise head coach Anja Heiner-Moller made a major change in net Monday, pulling last season’s Golden Glove winner Morgan McAslan for 21-year-old Japanese goalkeeper Jessica Wulf. And did Wulf ever impress.

Wulf stayed cool in the net while 17 shots were launched her way — letting in one of the three on target — and survived six of seven corners from the Halifax Tides.

On the offensive front, Jessica De Filippo got the Rise on the board in the 37th minute before three-time Olympian Quinn put Vancouver back in the lead in the 59th after the Tides’ Jordyn Rhodes opened the scoring for the hometown team.

Not only was this the reigning champs first win of the season, the club did it on the road and earned a much-needed three points in the standings.

Could this be the turnaround mark for the Rise? Fans can find that out Saturday in the second game of the double-header when Vancouver hosts AFC Toronto at Swangard Stadium (2 p.m. CT, CBC Gem).

Rapid rising

The Ottawa Rapid had a fantastic Week 4, shutting out Halifax at home 2-0. The win has them sitting one point out of first place.

It was an impressive contest for the Rapid all-around. Sadie Waite opening the scoring in last Wednesday’s match in the 25th minute before Choo Hyo-Joo’s chipped in with a 77th minute goal.

Goalie Melissa Dagenais had the shutout, and the Saint-Hubert, Que., product survived all seven corners.

The Tides will be looking to punch back against the Wild in Sunday’s game after being handed losses this week by the Rapid and the Rise, but will have to contend with a Calgary team that should have all sorts of confidence after forcing a draw with the Roses.

Game to watch in Week 5

The battle for first goes Saturday in the nation’s capital.

Ottawa hosts Montreal at TD Place in the first game of the double-header (11 a.m. CT, TSN). The Roses currently sit in first place in the standings with 10 points, while the Rapid one point behind.

Winnipeg Free Press | Newsletter

The Warm-Up

Winnipeg Jets Game Days

On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop.

Sign up for The Warm-Up

Sign Up

I consent to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies.

I consent to CASL agreement.

Montreal will be looking to return to its winning ways after drawing with Calgary in Week 4. Ottawa is riding a three-game win streak. But as fans saw this past week with the Roses, all good things eventually come to an end.

Calgary managed to keep the Roses’ Elyse Bennett off the scoresheet in Week 4. Look to Bennett — who had at least a goal a game through the first three contests — to bounce back against the Rapid.

This will also be the teams first meeting of the season, which could forecast what to expect from the season series this year.

Either way, it’s a much-anticipated early season heavyweight matchup.

winnipegfreepress.com/graceannepaizen

Grace Anne Paizen
Sports Editor

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