Tigers 2013 Recap-Women's Soccer

The 2013 season began with lots of promise for the women’s soccer team. They were again one of the favorites to go home with the AUS championship.

The Tigers were two-time defending AUS champions, and many veteran players remained from the championship teams. With the likes of Daphne Wallace, Kristy McGregor-Bales, Joanna Blodgett, Andie Vanderlaan and Bianca Jakisa, the Tigers still had a strong nucleus of players with a history of winning.

The season began with a thrilling 4-4 tie against the Cape Breton Capers at home. Bianca Jakisa notched two goals in the opener, and the four goals allowed by Shannon Junor would turn out to be half of the goals the Tigers would allow all season.

After losing to Moncton the following day 1-0, the Tigers would go on a five-game winning streak, with wins against Saint Mary’s, Mount Allison, StFX and Acadia. The team was on a torrent pace, and over the streak the Tigers had an astonishing 13 goals for and zero against. Veteran keeper Taryn McKenna made her return to the Tigers lineup on September 25 against Saint Mary’s, recording a shutout in the 3-0 victory.

The streak was ended with a shocking loss to the UPEI Panthers in Charlottetown on September 28. The Panthers were 1-0-3 at the time, but managed to silence the streaking Tigers.

October was a big month for the Tigers, who went 4-0-1 and only surrendered one goal in five games. The month was capped off with a home stand against Acadia and UNB, winning 2-0 and 3-0, respectively. The Tigers finished 9-2-2 on the year and allowed an AUS-low eight goals, while scoring 28 goals, second to only the first-place Capers.

Their strong record gave them the second seed in the AUS championship in Moncton and a bye to the semifinals for the second straight year.

It turned out that the Tigers would face the Acadia Axewomen, the third-seeded team who they’d beaten twice in the regular season, including a 2-0 victory at home only a week before.

After a scoreless half that saw multiple chances from both sides, the Axewomen gained the lead in the 57th minute with a goal off a free kick. It would take late game heroics from striker Victoria Parkinson, who tied the game up in the 78th minute to send the game to overtime.  

With their season hanging by a thread, the Tigers knew that if they were going to defend their championship, they would have to make a stand. Unfortunately, Acadia had other plans, and stunned the Tigers when they snuck one past Taryn McKenna in the 105thminute.

The Tigers were left shocked, wondering what could have been after such an impressive season. This marked the first time in three years that they would not be the ones holding up the AUS championship banner at the end of the year.

Bianca Jakisa and Joanna Blodgett led the team in scoring with five goals apiece, and were fourth in the AUS in scoring. Keeper Shannon Junor led the AUS with a 0.51 goals-against average.

Kristy McGregor-Bales, Victoria Parkinson and Joanna Blodgett were all named AUS first team all-stars, and McGregor-Bales was also named a CIS first team all-star.

Taryn McKenna, Andie Vanderlaan, Bianca Jakisa and Joanna Blodgett all graduate this year and leave behind a true legacy of success that has spanned the last few years for the Tigers.