Jefferson Hagen
MacEwan Athletics
CALGARY – A dashing goal by Alyx Henderson in her final regular season game, and an incredible penalty kick save by Sabrina Alexander highlighted a huge 1-0 win for the MacEwan Griffins women's soccer team over the Calgary Dinos on Sunday.
With the result, the Griffins finish the 2024 season with a 10-1-3 record and 33 points, which is the most program has had since joining Canada West in 2014.
"That's pretty cool," said MacEwan head coach Dean Cordeiro. "The team's on the rise, it's going places and setting new standards, which is great to see. We've had some pretty good individual seasons thus far, so it's nice to hear that. It's a good way to close out the season heading into playoffs."
Calgary finishes at 11-2-1, which is one point better than MacEwan for top of the table in the Prairie Division, so they will host the Canada West Final Four tournament if they win their quarter-final match against UBC Okanagan next weekend.
The Griffins will host either Trinity Western or Victoria in their quarter-final match on Oct. 25 (6 p.m., Edmonton Scottish, Canada West TV).
TWU (8-3-2) was set to play their regular season finale at UBC (13-0-0) later Sunday (7:30 p.m. MT). If the Spartans lose, they'll be MacEwan's opponent, but if they win or tie, Victoria (7-2-5) will be travelling to Edmonton next weekend.
Finishing it off with a win!
— MacEwan Griffins Women's Soccer (@Griffins_WSOC) October 20, 2024
Griffins end the regular season at 10-1-3 with 33 points, the most in the program's @CanadaWest era.
Bring on the playoffs (Oct. 25, 6 PM, Edmonton Scottish).#GriffNation pic.twitter.com/CbaiVGxs2A
While Sunday's contest wasn't the showdown for first in the Prairie Division many were hoping for after the Griffins tied Lethbridge on Saturday and thus entered the contest four points back of the Dinos, it had all the hallmarks of every fierce, intense matchup between the rivals.
"You never want to be losing a game heading into playoffs," said Cordeiro. "It just sets the wrong tone or mindset. Although we did rest a few players that were on yellow card accumulation as we didn't want to run the risk of a third yellow, we went for it. We wanted to send a message and finish the season off strong.
"Whenever we play against the Dinos, it's always a battle. It was a back-and-forth match today by both teams and everybody left it on the pitch. That's what you want leading into the Canada West quarter-final."
GOAL��
— MacEwan Griffins Women's Soccer (@Griffins_WSOC) October 20, 2024
Played in by Grace Mwasalla, Alyx Henderson puts the @MacEwanGriffins up
1-0 just before half-time in #YYC.#GriffNation pic.twitter.com/zyLUzixtrU
Henderson scored the only goal that the Griffins would need just before half-time as Grace Mwasalla played a brilliant through ball that sent her in alone. Henderson side-stepped keeper Katie French and deposited it into the empty net for her 19th career goal, third all-time in MacEwan's Canada West era.
On the play, Mwasalla reached 45 career points, tied for 15th in Canada West history.
"It was a tidy finish," said Cordeiro, who named Henderson Game MVP. "We advanced the ball to Grace Mwasalla and Grace does Grace things. She did an amazing job in slipping Alyx Henderson in behind their back line. And Alyx, what a run. She went from the wing right down the middle and got in behind, walked around the goalkeeper and had a hell of a finish.
"The first and third all-time (Griffins) scorers combining on that last regular season goal of their careers is a pretty special moment for them."
When starting goalkeeper Elizabeth Knight was hurt on a collision off a corner kick in the 59th minute, Alexander went into the match for the Griffins. Just moments later, the Dinos were awarded a PK when Isabella Burtini was fouled in the box.
Alexander dove to right to stop a low screamer from Kaleigh Major.
Moments after coming into the game in the second half, Sabrina Alexander made a huge save off a PK by @UCDinos' Kaleigh Major.
— MacEwan Griffins Women's Soccer (@Griffins_WSOC) October 20, 2024
Alexander and Lizzy Knight shared the shutout!#GriffNation pic.twitter.com/PfBSNVNbjH
"That was a huge moment in the second half, going in cold," said Cordeiro of his keeper. "They shared the shutout, which was nice to see.
"Sabrina really stepped up. To come into the game in that scenario and make a huge stop for us was massive."
Knight made four saves and Alexander stopped three as they shared the clean sheet, MacEwan's seventh of the season.
