Women's Soccer | 10/11/2016 3:55:00 PM

SATURDAY: vs. Manitoba, 12:00 p.m. (U of R Field)
SUNDAY: vs. Winnipeg, 12:00 p.m. (U of R Field)

The University of Regina women's soccer team is back on home turf this weekend for critical matches against the Manitoba Bisons and Winnipeg Wesmen.

Regina (2-5-3) is currently tied for fifth in the Canada West Prairie Division with nine points, the same total as Winnipeg and the Lethbridge Pronghorns. Mount Royal is just a point back, occupying eighth place.

This weekend's games will be crucial for the playoff picture, as the top six teams in the division qualify for a playoff berth. Manitoba (3-5-2) is two points up on the Cougars, Wesmen and Pronghorns with 11 points.

"We'll prepare for these games like we would for any other regular season contests," fifth-year midfielder Karlee Vorrieter said Tuesday. "We need these games to secure our spot for playoffs but we're focused on improving on our results from last weekend."

The Cougars are coming off a home-and-home set with the Saskatchewan Huskies that saw the two teams battle to a 1-1 draw on Friday in Regina before the Huskies cruised to a 2-0 victory on Sunday.

Vorrieter scored in injury time on a frigid Friday night to earn the Cougars a point, chipping in a shot after a cross off the foot of Lauren Petras.

Kacey McFee made four saves on Friday and stopped eight Huskie efforts on Saturday, although goals from Maya Gabruch in the 68th and 69th minutes powered Saskatchewan to the win in the rematch.

The Cougars have faced off against both the Bisons and Wesmen once already this season, playing Manitoba to a scoreless draw and defeating Winnipeg 1-0 on a late Vorrieter marker in Winnipeg back in September.

"We've focused on linking together more from our defence to our midfielders and to our forwards," Vorrieter added. "We'll have to focus on connecting our passes, driving bodies into the box and having that desire to score goals."

Both matches are set for noon kickoff at the U of R Field.