Women's Soccer | 9/5/2018 1:51:00 PM

SATURDAY: vs. Manitoba, noon, U of R Field
SUNDAY: vs. Winnipeg, noon, U of R Field

The University of Regina women's soccer team will open the 2018 Canada West regular season this weekend on home turf, as the Manitoba Bisons and Winnipeg Wesmen will visit the U of R Field.

The Cougars have their sights set on a playoff berth, after a 2017 season which saw them miss out on a postseason spot by just one game in the Prairie Division standings.

Familiar Faces
The Cougars have four players entering their fifth and final season of U SPORTS eligibility, including midfielder Nikita Senko and striker Brianna Wright. Senko brings leadership and plenty of experience to the midfield, and is praised by head coach Bob Maltman as a strong communicator who is good on the ball and has the maturity to lead those around her. Wright returns to the front lines after leading the Cougars in scoring a season ago with one goal and four assists.

Goalkeeper Ashton Lowry and defender Angela Lalonde are the other two fifth-year athletes for the Cougars, while a strong core of fourth-year players will look to lead the younger group of Cougars. Sydney Langen, Kirsten Finley, Cassie Longmuir and Jet Davies are among the other senior athletes who will see significant action on the pitch.

Newcomers
The Cougars have a large group of young talent joining the squad for the 2018 season, with nine first-year athletes on the roster.

Maltman expects a number of them to make an immediate impact. "We have a really strong group of rookies who have demonstrated a superb amount of confidence to this point. We're very impressed with the maturity and comfort they have exhibited and the speed at which they have adjusted to the varsity game."

Leading the way for the rookie class are defenders Amou Madol and Abby Kirk, as well as midfielder Camryn Beaumont. "Abby and Amou are very composed and comfortable under pressure, and we're pleased with the confidence on the ball that Camryn has demonstrated," Maltman added.

Team Expectations
Maltman and the Cougars recognize the level of competition in Canada West is high but the team is optimistic about an improved finish in the Prairie Division.

"We've placed more emphasis on our front line movement in order to create more goal scoring opportunities and the development we've seen from our players in the offseason is encouraging," Maltman said. "The spirit of the team is the strongest I've seen it in several years and that's due to our strong leaders on and off the field."