POST GAME
LETHBRIDGE – The Pronghorns earned a 1-1 draw on Saturday afternoon against the MacEwan Griffins at the University of Lethbridge Community Stadium in a tightly contested match. The Griffins struck early, with Amelia Russo scoring in the opening minutes to give MacEwan a 1-0 lead. Despite heavy pressure, Pronghorns' goalkeeper Oceane McBurney made several key saves to keep her team in the game. The home side's best chance in the first half came when Hailey Slobodian hit the post in the 13th minute. In the second half, Slobodian capitalized on an opportunity to tie the game for the Horns, scoring her seventh goal of the season in the 70th minute to tie the game. McBurney continued to shine, making more crucial saves as both teams pushed for a winner. Despite late opportunities, neither team could break the deadlock, and the match ended in a 1-1 draw. The Pronghorns, now 2-10-1, will face the Alberta Pandas next.

BREAKDOWN

• The match kicked off with MacEwan striking early, as Amelia Russo found the back of the net with a composed finish, her third goal of the season. The assist came from Grace Schimpf, setting the tone for a challenging afternoon for the home side.
• The Pronghorns' best chance in the opening half came in the 13th minute when Hailey Slobodian rattled the post with a powerful strike, nearly leveling the score. The Horns showed they weren't backing down despite being the underdogs.
• MacEwan controlled much of the first half, keeping the Pronghorns on the back foot. A dangerous moment came when Sophie Lavalle outpaced a Pronghorn defender down the left wing, setting up a shot for Grace Mwasalla. However, goalkeeper Oceane McBurney came up big with a clutch save to keep the game within reach.
• McBurney shone throughout the first 45 minutes, standing tall in net despite the early goal, and the Pronghorns went into halftime trailing 1-0.
• The Griffins came out firing in the second half, continuing their relentless pressure. Two back-to-back headers from Amelia Russo sailed just high over the Pronghorns' goal, and a shot from Hannah Harper drifted wide, keeping the home side hanging on.
• With 30 minutes left in the match, Pronghorns fans were brought to their feet when Jade Unterschute found herself in space after a through ball down the middle, but the aggressive Griffins' defense swarmed quickly, denying a clear shot on goal.
• Moments later, Chloe Wilson made a critical defensive clearance, shutting down another MacEwan opportunity that looked certain to stretch their lead.
• The momentum shifted in the Pronghorns' favor in the 70th minute when senior forward Hailey Slobodian capitalized on a miscue from Griffins' keeper Elizabeth Knight. With the keeper off her line, Slobodian coolly slotted the ball into the open net for her seventh goal of the season, leveling the match 1-1.
• Despite the equalizer, MacEwan didn't let up, as Anneke Odinga unleashed a powerful shot from 20 yards out, but it sailed just over the crossbar, keeping the match finely balanced.
• McBurney remained a brick wall for the Pronghorns, making yet another crucial save in the 76th minute off a blistering strike from Sophie Lavalle, keeping the scoreline even.
• As the clock wound down, Jade Unterschute nearly became the hero for the Pronghorns, sending a shot from deep that skidded wide of the post. Just minutes later, she had another attempt in the 83rd minute, but this one too rolled wide.
• Both teams pressed for a late winner, but after 90 minutes of hard-fought play, the match ended 1-1. It was a gritty performance from the Pronghorns, who showed resilience and fight against the tough Griffins lineup.

NEXT UP
Pronghorns are back at the University of Lethbridge Community Stadium to face the Alberta Pandas on Sunday, October 20, with a doubleheader starting at 12 p.m. The day features the men's soccer team taking on the MRU Cougars at 2:15 p.m., and will also honour the graduating senior athletes.