Brianna Wright's free-kick goal in the 36^th minute proved to be the winner, as the University of Regina women's soccer team topped the Winnipeg Wesmen 2-1 on Friday afternoon.

The Cougars and Wesmen dealt with rainy conditions for the majority of the match, but both teams coped well with the slippery Leibel Field turf.

Shayla Kapila (pictured) wasted no time getting the Cougars on the board, netting a beauty of a shot just under the crossbar in the fifth minute. Kapila's goal came after an impressive individual effort, soaring down the right wing before roofing a shot from a seemingly impossible angle.

The Cougars would add to their lead just over 30 minutes later after a Winnipeg defender was whistled for dragging down a Cougar attacker. Daniela Castro would step up to the free ball 25 yards out and fake the shot, leaving Wright to trail in and have a go. Wright's shot snuck through the Wesmen wall that was set up and curled into the bottom corner of the net, putting the Cougars up 2-0.

Ashton Lowry would preserve the Cougar lead heading into halftime, making a diving save on a low shot by Claire Preston in the 44^th minute.

The Cougars would roll with the second unit in the second half, making eight substitutions at the break.

The best chance for the Cougars in the second would come after Taeganne Galger won a ball from a Winnipeg defender and went in alone against keeper Taylor Thorkelson. Galger sent a shot from inside the box to the top corner of the net but Thorkelson got an arm on it. The rebound bounced right to Meghan McFee who took a shot, but Thorkelson tipped it off the post and was able to scramble back and cover up before Galger was able to tap it in.

Just a few minutes later Winnipeg would get on the board thanks to Preston. The first-year striker collected a loose ball and went in on a partial break, making a move around Lowry and holding off a defender, finishing it off into the open net.

Regina would control possession for most of the remaining time, but Lowry came up huge in the 90^th minute, making the biggest of her four saves to rob Hannah Lindgren of the equalizing goal.

The Cougars will depart to Edmonton on Tuesday, where they will play four exhibition games. First up for the Cougars will be NAIT, followed by a double header against MacEwan before a pre-season finale against Alberta.