The University of Regina women's soccer team fell 2-1 on Saturday as Alberta's Brenna Mattiello scored in the 90th minute to complete the comeback win for the Pandas.
Karissa McNutt also scored for the hometown Pandas, while rookie Sally Bachmann (pictured) netted her second goal of the season for the Cougars.
Alberta outshot the Cougars 24-8 on the match, with 10 shots on goal opposed to Regina's three. Ashton Lowry stopped eight shots while Cassie Bazzarelli made two saves at the other end of the pitch.
The Cougars only registered three shots in the first half, but all of them produced strong scoring opportunities for the visitors. The first chance for Regina came in the 20th minute as Sydney Langen went in against two Panda defenders and sent a high shot towards the goal, but Bazzarelli was able to get her hands on it for a leaping save. The Cougars came close to scoring first in the 41st minute off on of their three corner kicks. The cross went over Bazzarelli's hands and found Shayla Kapila right in front, but she was unable to direct the header under the crossbar and it soared over the net.
The Cougars pressure paid off in the 43rd minute, as Wright was streaking down the right side of the pitch and sent a long cross into the box. The ball again sailed over Bazzarelli's airborne effort and landed at the feet of Bachmann, who had subbed in in the 29th minute. The first-year Cougar twisted her body and got a foot on the ball to send it toward the open Panda goal. An Alberta defender was able to clear it away but the referee ruled that the ball had crossed the goal line as the Pandas allowed just their second goal against of the season.
The first-place Pandas replied in the 52nd minute thanks to fourth-year forward McNutt. Sydney Daines went on a run around a Cougar defender down the left wing and crossed the ball into the box. The ball bounced around for a second and McNutt was able to track it down and put it past Lowry for her third goal of the season.
The teams traded chances in the dying minutes as Langen was sprung in alone in the 79th minute but Bazzarelli met her at the top of the box and was able to disrupt the effort towards the net. Nicole McKay had a brilliant left-footed effort towards the top corner just a few minutes later, but Lowry made a nice save to catch the shot and hold off the Alberta attack. Lowry outdid herself shortly after, making an incredible diving save on a rocket of a shot from Morgan Corbett.
Brenna Mattiello found the net for the Pandas in the 89th minute, but the Cougars had been whistled for a foul just a split second before the shot was taken. The ensuing Panda free kick from about 20 yards out was sent high as the Cougars dodged a bullet. The frantic action continued as Lowry's goal kick was played back towards the Cougar end and Mattiello beat Lowry to the ball, chipping it over the Cougar keeper and depositing in the net for the game-winning marker.
Langen had a chance going the other way on a play that was almost identical to the Mattiello goal, but her chip over Bazzarelli trickled just a couple feet wide of the open Panda goal.
The Cougars (0-4-3) will travel to Calgary tonight for an 11 a.m. kickoff against Mount Royal University tomorrow morning. MRU (4-2-1) took down the Saskatchewan Huskies 2-0 on Saturday morning.
