MacEwan Athletics
EDMONTON – Women's soccer student-athlete Samantha Gouveia is the MacEwan Athletics' first star of the week after leading the Griffins to MacEwan's first U SPORTS national championship.
The team captain was named U SPORTS nationals tournament MVP and was one of five Griffins players selected to the all-star team after MacEwan beat Trinity Western 3-2 on penalties on Sunday in Cape Breton, N.S.
It's a clean sweep of the three stars for the Griffins women's soccer team this week as midfielder Kaylin Hermanutz was named second star and goalkeeper Breanna Truscott earned third-star honours.
It's the second appearance of the 2021-22 season on the list for Gouveia, who was previously named first star on Sept. 21.
Both Hermanutz and Truscott are appearing for the first time this season.
1st STAR: Samantha Gouveia, D, women's soccer
Edmonton, AB, fifth-year, Commerce
The Griffins' captain and leader went out on top, leading MacEwan to a U SPORTS national championship in the final game of her illustrious five-year university career.
Playing every minute of every game at the centre-back position during their week at Cape Breton University, she controlled the play, shut down some of the best attacking players in the country and was named U SPORTS tournament MVP.
After the Griffins beat the Trinity Western Spartans 3-2 on penalties at Cape Breton University on Sunday, Gouveia was also one of five Griffins players named to the tournament all-star team.
Earlier in the week, at Wednesday's championship banquet, Gouveia earned a spot on the U SPORTS second all-star team.
Kaylin Hermanutz battles for position on a ball against UBC in the U SPORTS championship semifinal game (Jefferson Hagen photo).
2nd STAR: Kaylin Hermanutz, M, women's soccer
Edmonton, AB, fifth-year, Arts
Under-rated for her incredible contributions from midfield, Hermanutz finally got some recognition when she was named player of the game for the Griffins in their U SPORTS championship final victory over Trinity Western on Sunday.
Playing the final game of her university career, Hermanutz was also named to the U SPORTS tournament all-star team.
Long one of the team's best passers, she continually linked up plays and made a huge difference for the Griffins.
Hermanutz was one of five MacEwan players who made the tournament all-star team, joining Gouveia, fellow fifth-year senior Meagan Lemoine, goalkeeper Breanna Truscott and rookie Grace Mwasalla.
Goalkeeper Breanna Truscott made the U SPORTS tournament all-star team (Jefferson Hagen photo).
3rd STAR: Breanna Truscott, GK, women's soccer
Edmonton, AB, second-year, Arts
The Griffins rallied around their starting goalkeeper after Truscott was injured in a scary collision near the end of overtime of the championship final against Trinity Western.
They won it for her, but they wouldn't have won a national championship without her.
Truscott allowed just three goals against in three tournament games – two of which went to overtime – and was named goalkeeper of the event as the only one on the tourney all-star team.
At Cape Breton, Truscott finished with eight saves on 11 shots, while playing 328 minutes of action, although stats don't account for how well she commanded the box on corners, dealt with the wind and distributed the ball.
