Women's Soccer | 10/3/2017 10:15:00 AM

THURSDAY: vs. Saskatchewan, 5 p.m., U of R Field
SATURDAY: at Saskatchewan, 7 p.m., Griffiths Stadium

The University of Regina women's soccer team is gearing up for a home-and-home series against the Saskatchewan Huskies on Thanksgiving weekend, with a Thursday night contest to be played in Regina followed by a Saturday evening match in Saskatoon.

The Cougars are coming off a weekend on the road that saw them drop a 2-1 decision to first-place Alberta and then earn a 1-1 draw against second-place Mount Royal University. The Huskies (4-2-2) enter the weekend tied for second place, but they fell 2-0 to MRU last Saturday before playing Alberta to a 1-1 tie on Sunday.

Rookie Power
First-year forward Sally Bachmann leads the Cougars will three goals on the season, and is second on the team in total points. The Pitt Meadows, B.C. product had a goal in both of the Cougar games a weekend ago.

The Huskie attack is also led by a rookie, as Megan Ripplinger has tallied four goals and four assists for Saskatchewan. Ripplinger, a Regina product, kicked off her Canada West career in style, scoring three goals and adding two assists in her first two games.

The Wright Stuff
Striker Brianna Wright has come on for the Cougars as of late, with a goal and an assist in her last three games. The fourth-year forward leads the team with four points and three assists, and has also put a team-high 15 shots towards opponent's goals. Wright is the only Cougar with multiple assists this season.

Aggressive Play
The Cougars lead Canada West with nine yellow cards this season, while the Huskies have only been carded twice. Both teams like to drive the ball into the other team's end of the pitch and rank in the top 10 in corner kicks, with the Huskies earning 52 and the Cougars 43.

The History Books
The Cougars have played more matches against Saskatchewan than any other Canada West opponent, with 29 matchups since 2001. The Cougars and Huskies met three times a season ago including the first round of the Canada West playoffs, which saw the Huskies take a 2-0 win at home. The two teams also played to a 1-1 draw in Regina and a 2-0 home win for the Huskies in the regular season.