Box Score Box Score

The University of Regina's women's soccer team opened up the 2011 season with a hard-fought 1-1 draw against the Victoria Vikes on a blistering Saturday afternoon at the U of R Field.

Sarah Clark scored in the eighth minute for Victoria, while Tayler Firth replied for Regina in the 63rd. Both teams move to 0-0-1 on the season with the draw.

“We started out a little slower than I would have liked to have seen, but as the game progressed we settled into more of a rhythm,” Cougars fifth-year head coach Bob Maltman said. “We were able to create a number of chances behind their back four and Michelle (Anderson) was able to steady the ship a few times on key saves.”

The Cougars had the first quality scoring chance of the game following a Tegan Koroluk corner kick in the sixth minute, but Tiffany Gyurek's shot from the right side was saved by Victoria goalkeeper Stephanie Parker.

Shortly thereafter the Vikes got on the board. Carly Branion-Calles sent a nice through ball up the right side to Lindsay Hoetzel, whose cross was finished off by Clark to give the visitors the lead. Clark, though, suffered an injury on the play and didn't return until midway through the second half.

The score stayed 1-0 for the Vikes through halftime and up until the 63rd minute, when Regina's Meagan Cormier fired a cross to the far post which found the foot of second-year midfielder Tayler Firth. Firth's shot just crossed the line, tying up the game at a goal apiece.

Jayde McFee had a pair of great chances for Regina to score a late go-ahead marker – including a partial breakaway in the 84th minute – but Parker came up with big saves for the Vikes on both occasions.

Parker ended up with three saves, while Anderson made five for Regina. The play was relatively even overall, with Victoria holding an 11-10 edge in shots attempted.

Victoria will head to Winnipeg to square off with Manitoba (0-1-0) on Sunday, while the Cougars will host Fraser Valley (1-0-0) at the U of R Field tomorrow at noon.

NOTES: Saturday's match marked the second consecutive season that the teams have played to a 1-1 draw in Regina on the opening weekend of the Canada West schedule ... temperature at kickoff was 29°C and reached 31°C by halftime ... Firth's goal was the third of her CIS career ... Cormier is now the U of R's all-time leader in career assists (5).