X-Women defeat Huskies 1-0 in season opener
X-Women midfielder Cheyenne Bower scored the lone goal in the STFX’s 1-0 win over the Saint Mary’s Huskies on Friday’s 2024 Atlantic University Sport women’s soccer season opener at Huskies Stadium.
HALIFAX, NS – X-Women midfielder Cheyenne Bower scored the lone goal in the STFX's 1-0 win over the Saint Mary's Huskies on Friday's 2024 Atlantic University Sport women's soccer season opener at Huskies Stadium.
In the opening moments, the defending AUS champion X-Women pushed for an early goal with relentless attack and constant pressure, but the Huskies defence held strong. Saint Mary's would have a chance of their own, as defender Madlyn Blinn (Lower Sackville, NS) launched a free-kick towards the visitor's goal, but X-Women keeper Hailey Jones (Ottawa, ON) was able to snag it.
In the 20th minute, the STFX attack broke through as defender Rylin Matheson (Dartmouth, NS) launched a long ball over the defence on to the foot of Cheyenne Bower (London, ON), who weaved through a pair of defenders and beat Huskies goalkeeper Katie Alley (Milton, ON) to put the visitors ahead 1-0.
Saint Mary's had several quality chances to equalize later in the first half – first a corner kick from midfielder Sarah Eden (Ottawa, ON) ricochetted around the box and onto the foot of striker Cara Freeman (Halifax, NS) who put it past Jones, but was whistled offside and the goal was overturned.
Moments later, a free kick from Eden found the head of midfielder Charlotte Baines (Halifax, NS) who directed a header off the crossbar as the game went into half with STFX leading 1-0.
Saint Mary's continued to push for an equalizer in the second half, with the best chance coming from Cara Freeman in the 65th minute, as she received a nice through ball from first year midfielder Brooklyn Salgueiro (Dartmouth, NS), but skied the shot high above the goal.
Some strong defence from the X-Women was able to close out the game, with the visitors taking the season-opening 1-0 victory.
X-Women defender Matheson was named Player of the Match with an assist and some stellar defensive play, while goalkeeper Jones turned away three shots for the clean sheet.
The X-Women (1-0-0) will next take on the Dalhousie Tigers on Sunday, Sept. 8 in Antigonish, N.S., while the Huskies (0-1-0) will next look to bounce back against the Memorial Sea-Hawks on Sunday, Sept. 1 at 1 p.m. at Huskies Stadium.
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Recap by Allan April / Saint Mary's Huskies Athletics
