Jefferson Hagen, MacEwan Athletics
CAPE BRETON, N.S. – The last time MacEwan women's soccer head coach Dean Cordeiro was at a post-secondary national championship, magic happened.
Eight years ago in Langley, B.C., the Griffins won it all, capturing the only banner in program history when they took down Cégep Garneau 2-0 in the 2013 Canadian Colleges Athletic Association (CCAA) gold medal game.
The levels are different, but there's no doubt the current edition of the Griffins can take some lessons out of that experience.
"I think you can look back at those past experiences, for sure," said Cordeiro. "U SPORTS is a different level, but that was a new level for the team at that time in 2013. Our mindset is the same now as it was then."
The Griffins kick off their quest for a U SPORTS national championship with a quarter-final matchup against the Queen's Gaels on Thursday (7:30 a.m. MT, CBC WATCH HERE).
Players from MacEwan's 2013 national championship-winning squad have described an unmatched chemistry they had that was the glue that drove them to completing an undefeated season.
And the parallels to the current edition of the Griffins are striking.
'We Before Me' is the slogan written on their practice t-shirts and that mantra is woven in the very fabric of their identity.
Kaylin Hermanutz dashes upfield against Lethbridge during a regular season match at Clarke Stadium last month (Tia Schram photo).
Their depth was on display as 13 different players scored during the regular season, while 17 registered at least one point.
Their goalkeepers' prowess and solid defending led to seven shutouts in 12 regular season games.
"Our motto is everything we do is together and the togetherness within this team is next level," said Cordeiro. "We trust everyone on this team.
"We spoke earlier this year about giving everybody lots of opportunities throughout the season because in these moments – playoffs or nationals – you need everyone to contribute.
"We have such a depth of talent on this team that at any point, someone can get the nod to go in and can do something special."
Not many teams can sub out a Canada West first team all-star at half-time (like the Griffins did with Meagan Lemoine in the conference bronze medal game) in favour of a different look and not miss a beat. Nikki Brodeur came in for her against Saskatchewan on Nov. 6 and scored the winning goal.
"I honestly don't have a problem getting subbed out when the players coming in are making such a huge difference and scoring big goals," said Lemoine, who has had her fair share of big moments as MacEwan's Canada West career goals leader. "These are the players who are going to carry on the MacEwan legacy.
"It's not just about one player. It's always the team first. I'm so proud of everyone. We're really excited."
Meagan Lemoine, seen in action against Alberta earlier this season, is the program's Canada West career goals leader (Chris Piggott photo).
That's what has made the 2021 Griffins so special and is why they were able to finally get to U SPORTS nationals for the first time on their fifth attempt to qualify out of the conference championship.
"Canada West is a very strong conference," said Cordeiro. "The opponents we played to get here are some of the best in the nation. Knowing that gives the team confidence – look what we've done, look what we can accomplish.
"We've got to go out there for 90 minutes and may the best team win," he added. "If we play our game and execute the game plan, we like our chances against anyone."
The key is also having belief and the right mindset.
"I think we just need to relax, take a deep breath and play our game," said Lemoine. "We need to believe in ourselves because we are more than good enough to do it.
"Honestly, I think the biggest thing is having the confidence in ourselves and believing in ourselves because we can do it. It's our first time (at nationals), but I know we're skilled enough and talented enough to get the job done. We just need to work hard."
