Wolves win 2017 North Star ACAC Women’s Soccer Championship in dramatic fashion

OLDS- The Grande Prairie Regional College Wolves dethroned the Nait Ooks on Sunday afternoon in Olds, taking down the past champions 2-1 in penalty kicks.

The Ooks had won the past three straight championships, and it looked like they would win a fourth until late in the contest.

When Kaily Mohn put a shot into the back of the net at the 53 minute mark of the game, it looked like the Ooks would be able to ride their hot defense to a 1-0 win; and for over half an hour that's the way it looked.

However, in the 87^th minute, an ill-advised hand ball in the box sent Jessica Winterford to take a free kick to knot the game at one. Winterford calmy kicked the ball past keeper Ashley Chaput, sending the game to extra time.

Extra time solved nothing, with neither team willing to give up any open field space. Besides a few free kick opportunities after fouls by the Wolves, offense was hard to come by in the extra half hour of play.

The ACAC Championship would be decided by penalty kicks. The Wolves got off to a quick lead after Winterford managed to score another, followed by three straight misses, two for NAIT, and one for Grande Prairie.

Alexi Watson and Shelby Henley both scored for the Wolves, giving Ashtyn Haycock a shot to win the championship.

Haycock made no mistake, placing the ball into the right side of the net to give the Wolves their first ever ACAC Women's Soccer Championship.

Megan Loyns from the Ooks, the 2017 ACAC Women's Soccer Player of the Year, was also given tournament MVP for her stellar two games.

Both teams will travel to Halifax on November 6 for the CCAA National Women's Soccer Championship.