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By Earl Seitz

WolfPack soccer

WolfPack soccer hosting busy weekend

Sep 12, 2019 | 6:30 PM

KAMLOOPS —- WolfPack soccer’s home schedule is underway in earnest this weekend —- with both teams playing twice at Hillside.

While the men opened at home with a pair of games two weeks ago, before going on the road last week, it will be the home openers for the WolfPack women.

The WolfPack women put on a lot of miles last weekend —- first travelling north to Prince George, where they opened the Canada West season with a 1-0 loss to the UNBC Timberwolves.

Then it was off to Calgary and a 1-1 draw against the U SPORTS number seven ranked Dinos —- a tie that WolfPack keeper Danielle Robertson says should spike the confidence going into their home opener tomorrow night against the McEwan University Griffins.

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“They’re a pretty high ranked U SPORTS team.” says Robertson. “I think we came out with a lot of bite, which is something we were really trying to do and build into our team identity. I think we showed how we wanted to play.”

This weeks opponents, McEwan and the Alberta Pandas, were ranked 5th and 4th respectively in the pre-season coaches poll.

Both Edmonton teams opened their seasons last week with wins, before both were held to a tie by the University of Lethbridge, which WolfPack coach Mark Pennington says will no doubt be knawing away at their memory bank.

“They probably had some disappointing results, in their mind.” says Pennington. “So they’ll probably be a bit sore from that. So I’m sure they’ll be working hard this week, and giving us everything they’ve got.”

Third year midfielder Camryn Curts had the WolfPack goal against Calgary, while Danielle Robertson leads Canada West in saves after two games with 20.

After going through a six game pre-season undefeated, the WolfPack men started the season at home two weeks ago with a 1-1 draw against UBC and a 5-0 blowout of UVic —– but then WolfPack scoring hit a wall on the road last weekend in a 1-0 loss to Trinity Western and a 1-1 tie against Fraser Valley.

James Fraser had the goal against UBC and scored three times in the win over UVic.

Last week Josh Banton was the only WolfPack sniper to find the mark in two games at the coast.

Head coach John Antulov says with opponents throwing a blanket over the WolfPack’s big three of Fraser, Banton and Justin Donaldson, it will be important for the second wave of offence to get some results.

“We really did have some great opportunities against Fraser Valley.” says Antulov. “There were times we should have shot and times we should have passed — it’s just those final decisions in the final third that we have to work on and focus on. But I think our offence will come. Once again it takes a little bit of time, and that comes with building the ball out of the back and then working on those other things, and hopefully that final third comes around as well.”

“I think we were living too much on cloud nine.” says 4th year defender Adam Swanson. “Maybe thought we were more skilled than were actually were. Like John says we are always a hard working team, and we have to bring our hard hats and lunch buckets. The second game was a little frustrating just to close that out, and finish some more chances, I think we can get back to our winning ways.”

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