Learning not Losing

LAC LA BICHE – If there's such thing as a loss feeling like a win, Friday afternoon at the Bold Center soccer field sure felt like it for the Portage College Voyageurs. Despite being on the wrong end of a 5-0 score to the visiting Concordia Thunder, Portage's women's team generated several scoring chances and played some solid defence as well. Head Coach Kika Mukuninwa noted that the squad has improved immeasurably from its inaugural season in 2019.

"The ladies have definitely improved and that's a credit to their hard work, "he said. "We've got some new faces as well and the returning players and they've really meshed well. For sure the women's team is a lot stronger and I'd say that they can compete against anybody in this league."

Gaelyn Verdin was a rock in the Voyageurs' net, stopping 17 of the 22 shots fired her way, and was named Player of the Game for her team. Vanessa Pietramala, potting a goal and adding an assist, was a force to be reckoned with all match and was named Player of the Game for the Thunder.

The Voyageurs have a week to prepare for two tough opponents next weekend, travelling to Edmonton to take on The King's University before returning home to face Lakeland College next Sunday. Mukuninwa is looking forward to the back-to-back scenario, something that the team didn't experience much of in the COVID-shortened 2021 season.

"Now we're back to 12 games in the season, so there's two games a weekend," he explained.  "It's a shift for some of the ladies but think that we have the talent to compete against everybody and hopefully we'll get some wins for them this year."