Jefferson Hagen
MacEwan Athletics
WINNIPEG, Man. – Five goals and 32 shots later, the MacEwan Griffins women's soccer team wrapped up a dominant 5-0 win over the Winnipeg Wesmen on Sunday.
It won't rank as the most lopsided win in program history, but it's certainly top-10 and is their largest margin of victory in 2024.
The Griffins accomplished it with five different players scoring as they managed minutes and got all 18 players into the lineup for the second-straight day.
With the result, MacEwan completed a six-point weekend and improved to 4-1-1 in the Canada West standings, currently tied for second in the Prairie Division.
"We're happy," said head coach Dean Cordeiro. "The group played really well. Taking it one game at a time, but definitely happy to come back with six points and knock a few more road games out of the way.
"We've had a lot of travel early on in our schedule, so it will be nice to be at home now for six of our last eight games."*
Among the most important accomplishments on Sunday was that the Griffins had five different goal scorers as their impressive depth continues to be on full display.
Anneke Odinga, Nicole Brodeur, Brenna Paquin, Sophie Lavallee and Hannah Harper all scored, while Elizabeth Knight earned a clean sheet with three saves.
"Five different scorers again," said Cordeiro. "That's going to be us this year. I love it.
"We made five changes to the starting 11 from yesterday, just insisting on fresh legs versus tired legs. Our wingers yesterday Alyx (Henderson) and Sophie (Lavallee) scored in the Manitoba game in the first half. Today, we gave Nikki Brodeur and Brenna Paquin a start in the wing positions and they both scored in the first half."
Anneke Odinga buries her second PK goal of the campaign to open the scoring at @WesmenWSOC and match a program record.
— MacEwan Griffins Women's Soccer (@Griffins_WSOC) September 22, 2024
It's the fifth time a @MacEwanGriffins player has two PK goals in a @CanadaWest season.#GriffNation pic.twitter.com/PgIoCDJZ3x
Odinga opened the scoring for MacEwan in the 24th minute, converting on a PK after Brodeur was taken down in the box. It's the second PK of the season for Odinga, who tied a program record in becoming the fifth Griffin to do so since joining Canada West in 2014.
"Anneke's been great," said Cordeiro, who named her Game MVP after two points and her usual all-star defensive play. "She's one of many we're comfortable in those scenarios. She's calm, cool, and collected when she gets those opportunities.
"Hopefully there's a few more PKs to be had this season. That will be the byproduct of us playing the game the right way."
Nicole Brodeur off a set piece to make it 2-0 Griffs!#GriffNation pic.twitter.com/h5vsC5IImp
— MacEwan Griffins Women's Soccer (@Griffins_WSOC) September 22, 2024
The Griffins went up 2-0 in the 43rd minute when Bryn Mortensen's corner kick bounced around in a scramble, with Amelia Russo getting a touch before Brodeur knocked it in the short side.
Right before the half, Odinga sped through the middle and fed Paquin out wide right and she put a high sharp-angle shot over the keeper's head and in for a 3-0 advantage.
Great run by Anneke Odinga sets up Brenna Paquin for a snipe from a sharp angle to put @MacEwanGriffins up 3-0.#GriffNation pic.twitter.com/7kU7svisVl
— MacEwan Griffins Women's Soccer (@Griffins_WSOC) September 22, 2024
After subbing in at half-time, Sophie Lavallee made it 4-0 Griffins on a header back post off Harper's 61st-minute corner. The speedy Saskatchewan striker has goals in four-straight games and is now MacEwan's goals leader on the season.
Sophie Lavallee now has four goals in the last four games as @MacEwanGriffins score again off a corner to take a 4-0 lead!#GriffNation pic.twitter.com/g42dRnwVRH
— MacEwan Griffins Women's Soccer (@Griffins_WSOC) September 22, 2024
"She's in great form," said Cordeiro, who chose to have Lavallee – a starter on Saturday at Manitoba – come off the bench on Sunday. "Sophie's been outstanding. I could have easily gone to her in the 11 again today, but I thought today she would come off the bench and be a game-changer for us.
"It doesn't matter what capacity – starting, coming in – she's just been a handful for the opponent."
Stop us if you've seen this before ...
— MacEwan Griffins Women's Soccer (@Griffins_WSOC) September 22, 2024
Hannah Harper with a super strike on the free kick!
The goal caps a 5-0 win for the @MacEwanGriffins.#GriffNation pic.twitter.com/m78gkwHDjF
Harper capped the day by bending a free kick just outside the box over Winnipeg keeper Camille Forbes' head in the 73rd minute.
The Griffins next return home to host Regina on Saturday (11 a.m., Edmonton Scottish, Canada West TV).
FREE KICKS: Genevieve Bachand made her Canada West debut, subbing in at half-time at left back … Both the 32 shots and 17 shots on goal the Griffins took in the game are tied for the seventh most in program history, while it's the ninth time MacEwan has scored at least five goals in a Canada West game.
*Five of those six games are at home, while the other is in Edmonton, but technically on the road as it's at Alberta's Foote Field.
