LAC LA BICHE - It's been a busy week on the pitch for Portage College Voyageurs soccer teams.
Since Sept. 28, the men's and women's squads have played five games in the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference north zone. The teams have played Grande Praire's Northwest Polytechnic, Concordia and Keyano College in a mix of home and away matches, resulting in the first two wins of the season for the Voyageur men's team, and more learning experiences for the women's squad.
The Voyageur men s team celebrated its first win of the 2024 season on Sept. 28 with a 1-0 victory over the visiting Northwest Polytechnic (NWP) Wolves. The Wolves were in town for Saturday and Sunday games against both the men’s and women’s teams.
At nine minutes into the first half of the opening match, Portage midfielder Dominic Douglas, won a battle for the ball deep in the Wolves' zone and fired a shot past goalkeeper Michael Boucher, securing the only goal of the match.
Re-match loss
While the Voyageurs' men's team was victorious in the first game of the weekend they were not so fortunate in the Sunday rematch, losing 3-1, with the lone Portage goal coming off the foot of Daniel Hyrsky.
The Portage women's squad had a tougher time with the Wolves, losing their first game 3-0 and the second 11-0.
While the women’s squad wasn’t able to score any goals, Voyageurs goalie Esther Bylsma kept a lot of Nothwest's attempts from the scoreboard, facing 30 shots in the first game and 28 in the second.
Thunder struck
The Voyageurs were on the road for Oct. 2 matches against the Concordia University of Edmonton Thunder. The men's team beat their Thunder opponents 1-0 with the game's only goal coming on a blast from Portage centre-back Cody Lawson. The Portage women's team dropped their game to the top team of the women's division 15-0, with Bylsma again in the Voyageurs' net facing a barrage of activity, stopping 32 of the 47 shots she faced in the game.
Thunder returns
Both Portage teams faced the Concordia squads again – this time at the Bold Centre fields – on Oct. 5. The women lost 12-0 and the Voyageur men dropped a 3-1 decision.
Both teams were in Fort McMurray on Sunday afternoon, playing the Keyano College Huskies. Both Portage teams were blanked by the Huskies, with the me losing 3-0 and the women dropping a 12-0 decision.
Following the busy week of play, the Portage men's team has a record of two wins and six losses, keeping them in fifth place of the seven-team Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference north division. The Portage women have not won a game in their first eight of the ACAC season, leaving them in last place of the seven-team women's ACAC northern division.
The next home game for the Voyageur soccer teams is Oct. 11 against Kings University. The women kick-off at the Bold Center sports fields at 5pm, with the men's game scheduled for 7 p.m.
