For just the second time in program history, both Lethbridge College Kodiaks soccer teams have qualified for the playoffs in the same season. The women’s and men’s teams head to SAIT for this weekend’s ACAC championships.
Both clubs will play The King’s University Eagles in quarterfinal matches on Friday.
Men’s game:
Kodiaks (7-3-2) vs The King’s University Eagles (4-2-4) – 4 p.m. Friday at SAIT
The men’s team returns to the post-season for the second year in a row, after posting a 7-3-2 record. A 3-1 win over Red Deer College on the final weekend of the season gave the Kodiaks the boost they needed to pass Red Deer in the standings and finish in second place in the ACAC south division. The team sits 14th in the CCAA national rankings.
Last season, the Kodiaks also finished second in the south, before losing in heartbreaking fashion in the playoffs, when Concordia University came from behind to earn a 4-3 win in penalty kicks. With a shot at redemption, the Kodiaks hope to use last season’s experience to give them a boost against the Eagles.
“The men's program has continued on from where it left off last season, playing some quality soccer, with a great work ethic,” says head coach Sean Carey. “That has propelled us to another playoff appearance this season. With a balanced team, and vocal veterans, the guys were able play a very consistent style of soccer and we’ve been a very hard team to play against.”
The Kodiaks were the third-highest scoring team in the south division, led by Wilson Ntignee (third year, Administrative Office Professional, Nigeria), who finished tied for second in ACAC scoring with 13 goals. They were also the second-best defensive squad in the division, allowing just 20 goals in 12 games, led by netminder Kohl Wandyka (fourth year, General Studies, Edmonton), who finished third in the division with 50 saves.
The Kings University finished third in the ACAC north division with a 4-2-4 record. The Kodiaks beat the Eagles 2-0 in a pre-season match in August.
Women’s game:
Kodiaks (6-4-2) vs The King’s University Eagles (5-2-3) – 9:30 a.m. Friday at SAIT
The Kodiaks women’s team returns to the post-season following a two-year absence. The team clinched a playoff spot by not allowing a goal in either of their final two regular season matches, to finish with a 6-4-2 record, in second place in the ACAC south division.
Lethbridge had to overcome plenty of adversity this season, as last year’s captain Maddie Folk, and last season’s newcomer of the year Payden Olsen, have both missed the entire season due to injuries. However, the team did receive a late-season boost as captain Brooklin Bellavance returned to play one half of action in the final game of the season, after missing the rest of the season with a leg injury.
“The women have shown that they can compete with anyone in the league,” says head coach Sean Carey. “Coming off a season where we had just two wins and seven points, this team has shown huge growth and with the help of quality additions, has become a competitive playoff-bound team this year. Through determination and leadership, I have seen these players improve week in, week out during the season, and they now have an opportunity to show the rest of the league just how far they have come in a year.”
The Kodiaks boast balance throughout the lineup, with four different players scoring multiple times this season, led by six goals from Vicki Noronha (fourth year, Exercise Science, Brooks). Paige Gattafoni (third year, Correctional Studies, Trail, B.C.) and Brittany Klein (third year, General Studies, Saskatoon) have also split duties in net, and rank third and fourth, respectively, in goals against average in the ACAC this season.
The Eagles come into the post-season ranked 15th in the CCAA and are riding a three-game win streak that moved them up to second in the ACAC north division, with a 5-2-3 record. The King’s University beat the Kodiaks 3-0 in a pre-season match in August.
The SAIT Trojans are hosting both the men’s and women’s 2018 ACAC soccer championships. Semifinals will be played on Saturday, with medal games taking place on Sunday.
The Kodiaks games can be streamed live on ACAC-TV. Results will be available on the ACAC website.
Follow the Kodiaks at gokodiaks.ca, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.