Image credit: TRU WolfPack Sports Information

By Marty Hastings

CANADA WEST

Albanian forward Lufo leading WolfPack attack, chasing records

Sep 11, 2025 | 4:55 PM

KAMLOOPS — Esi Lufo is on pace to have her best USports season and eclipse TRU WolfPack women’s soccer records.

“I feel like this is my year,” said Lufo, who has five goals in six games this season. “You can see it on the field. I improved so much. I’m scoring goals. I’m enjoying it.”

The 24-year-old forward from Tirane, Albania scored two belters against the Trinity Western Spartans of Langley last Saturday at Hillside Stadium, both of TRU’s goals in a 2-1 victory over the fifth-ranked team in the country.

“I’m enjoying this team more,” Lufo said. “I’m loving it here. School is going great. This motivates me to just keep doing more and more and score, and I want to lead the team to the playoffs this year.”

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Lufo, an Albanian national team member, competed at the top level of women’s club soccer in the 2022-2023 UEFA Women’s Champions League, advancing to the group stage with KF Vllaznia to play against a trio of European giants – Real Madrid, Chelsea and Paris St. Germain.

“We qualified for the group stage for the first time I think in Balkans’ history,” Lufo said. “And it was so good. Every game was so tough, so hard to play in, but we gained experience and we really enjoyed it.”

Lufo, who wanted to pursue an education outside of Albania, moved to the U.S. in an attempt to join the NCAA ranks.

“I went there, I tried, but then COVID shut it down, so I didn’t enjoy my time,” Lufo said. “I was like, ‘Okay, maybe this is not meant for me and I want something else.’”

WolfPack head coach Mark Pennington is acquainted with an Albanian player agent who put him in touch with Lufo.

“He’d [the agent] been out here and so I think that was a key piece of being able to sell it to her,” Pennington said. “I know it took some persuading — obviously persuading the family, as well, to let their kid come across the world. We’re starting to see the fruits of that now.”

Lufo recorded one goal and seven assists for nine points in her rookie season in 2023, when the WolfPack posted five wins, seven losses and two draws to miss the playoffs.

Last season, the WolfPack (4-8-2) missed the post-season for the second straight year and Lufo regressed statistically, scoring twice for a total of four points.

When asked what precipitated the sophomore slump, Lufo struggled to find answers.

Pennington said Lufo dedicated herself to strength and conditioning this past off-season and the change in habits is paying off in the early stages of the 2025 campaign.

“She looks quicker, she looks sharper, she looks a bit stronger and she’s starting to see the fruits of it,” Pennington said. “She came to me and she’s like, ‘Coach, this is more fun now. Like, I’m running past people.’”

Two WolfPack women’s soccer records are in jeopardy.

Ainsley Grether leads the way with 11 goals and Camryn Curts is the all-time assists leader, with nine.

Lufo – who said she is likely to play one more season at TRU before pursuing a professional soccer career — has eight goals and eight assists in 32 Canada West games.

“I want to break every record this year and I think I’m doing well,” Lufo said.

The WolfPack (4-2) are scheduled to play the UBC Thunderbirds on Saturday in Vancouver – a matchup featuring the No. 1 ranked team in the nation (UBC) and the two top teams in the Pacific Division.