Lethbridge – Coming off the most successful season in the program's history last year, the Lethbridge Pronghorn men's soccer team looks to build off of their first playoff appearance since 2000, opening the 2017 Canada West season this weekend in Saskatoon versus the Saskatchewan Huskies.
 
The Pronghorns and Huskies will take to the pitch in Saskatoon Saturday and Sunday at 2:00pm.
 
"The guys are excited for the season to start and we want to build on last year's successes," said head coach Randy Bardock. "We have a young group looking to fill new roles this season and take on the challenges of playing in the always tough Canada West."
 
A season ago the Pronghorns finished fourth in the Prairie division with a 8-6-2 record but lost in the Canada West quarter-final to the eventual Canada West silver medalist UBC Thunderbirds, 2-1 in Vancouver.
 
Statistically last season, the Pronghorns finished tied for fifth in the entire conference in goals scored with 24 but will have some big shoes to fill up front with the graduation of leading goal scorer Chris Rushworth and forward Kendell Wiens. Rushworth and Wiens combined for 11 goals last season but Stephen Primeau returns and will be counted on to continue his scoring touch. Primeau was second on the Pronghorns last season with six goals.
 
Defensively, the Pronghorns allowed 24 goals, sitting tied for eighth in Canada West. Nolan French returns in the net for his third season with the Pronghorns and looks to continue to see the bulk of the load again this season after starting 14 of 16 games last season. French finished tied for third in wins with eight and recorded four shutouts last season.
 
Only two years removed from their first Canada West title in school history, the Saskatchewan Huskies (6-7-3) finished fifth and missed the post-season.
 
Statistically, the Huskies scored the same amount of goals as the Pronghorns last season but allowed three more against.
 
The Huskies return leading scorer Jacob Powell, who led the Huskies with four goals last season but lost keeper Greg Buckley. Buckley started all 16 Canada West games last season and played all but 27 minutes.
 
The Pronghorns swept the Huskies last year in Lethbridge winning by scores of 2-0 and 2-1.
Next weekend the Pronghorns will remain on the road, traveling to Edmonton to face the defending USPORTS Champion Alberta Golden Bears and MacEwan Griffins.
 
 
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