Jefferson Hagen / MacEwan Athletics
EDMONTON – When new recruits make an instant impact, it can pay off in spades for a university team.
But when the fresh face entering the lineup is the same player who led your team in scoring two years ago, it's like found money.
Meagan Lemoine is back after a year away from the Canada West loop and will lead the Griffins women's soccer team into their prime-time home opener Friday night vs. UBC-Okanagan (7 p.m., Jasper Place Bowl). They will also host Thompson Rivers University on Sunday (Noon, JPB).
"It couldn't have come at a better time," said Griffins head coach Dean Cordeiro of the forward who scored six goals for the Griffins in 2015 before taking a year hiatus to better decide her schooling future.
"Obviously, she's a year older, knows what the league is about. Since then, she's been one of the top major-league players here in the city, playing in the Alberta Major Soccer League.
"We feel like we've got a huge addition to the front three that is going to help us address some of the goal scoring that we wanted to see more of last year that we lacked."
Lemoine has been playing for Cordeiro's club team – Northwest United – and they talked often about returning to the Griffins.
"I've always loved soccer and the girls," said Lemoine. "And I was doing pretty good. Dean kind of came to me and said 'we'd love to have you back.' I was iffy about it at first because with school, it's tough to balance."
But after one really good game earlier this year, she decided it was time to take her talents back to the Canada West level.
"Ever since then, I've been happier than ever," she said. "The year (off) gave me a chance to realize how much I missed soccer and school – just gave me a passion again."
That's good news for the Griffins, who went 5-0-0 in the Canada West preseason, firmly led by Lemoine, who produced points in four of the five games. Her offensive output included multi-point efforts in the club's final two exhibition contests, both wins over Winnipeg and Regina.
"She's a prototypical power forward, she goes at players one on one," said Cordeiro. "She's just a handful to deal with when she turns the corner. She's tough to mark.
"She plays with an edge, she's tenacious and she's got that goal-scorer's touch around the goal."
Considering the Griffins' Achilles' heel from 2016 was a lack of finish – (their .079 shooting percentage was 12th out of 16 teams, even though they finished fourth in the conference) – Lemoine's addition makes them a more dangerous team.
"I think this team feels like the best it's ever been," said the Edmonton product.
"I'm super excited and couldn't be more pumped to get the season going on Friday."
The Griffins will be kicking off Year 1 of 2 in the traditionally tougher Pacific Division this season (each Alberta squad takes a two-year rotation in the B.C.-based loop because of an unbalanced number of teams). That means facing a lot of different styles that they will have to adjust to as they aim to improve upon an 8-3-3 season that saw them come one win shy of a berth to U Sports nationals.
"It's going to be an interesting challenge," said Cordeiro. "I think for our athletes, the experience is going to be greater – a little bit more travel. We play every B.C. school, so that's exciting. But again, we've also got to get ourselves sorted with that conference."
That process starts Friday when the Griffins – ranked eighth in the recent Canada West coaches' poll – kick off the campaign against No. 11 UBCO. TRU is ranked last of the 16 teams.
"UBCO's a team we didn't play last year – we played them two years ago, but they've since added a new coach – Craig Smith, who's done a tremendous job with the group in a short time there," said Cordeiro. "So, we've got to work hard to review the film and start seeing what we can expect from them on Friday, but we're going in a little bit blind.
"TRU, obviously, we know a little bit more," he added of a squad the Griffins beat 4-0 in preseason. "We know they'll be well-organized and well coached, as well.
"For us, it's not worrying too much about the opponent. I think where we are as a program right now, we've just got to execute our game plan and go in with the mindset that if we do what we're capable of, the rest will take care of itself. So that's exciting going into our opening weekend."
FREE KICKS ... Fifth-year defender Kristen Skrundz will again captain the Griffins ... She's one of 13 returning players for MacEwan, including leading scorer Suekiana Choucair, Canada West all star goaltender Emily Burns and fellow starting defenders Jamie Erickson, Izabella Ponciano and Kristyn Smart ... A total of 15 first-year players are on the Griffins' roster, including rookie striker Raeghan McCarthy, midfielder Brittany Costa and goalkeeper Bianca Castillo ... MacEwan is also welcoming key transfer Kaylin Hermanutz, who played in the NCAA at the University of Tennesse-Chattanooga last season.
