Game recap by: Kirk Jessome
(Halifax, NS) – In the final game for the Dalhousie Tigers regular season, the Tigers were facing off against the UPEI Panthers on Senior Day. After scoring an early goal, the Tigers were able to control the pace of play in the second half an hold on to pick up a 2-0 win to finish off the regular season.
The Tigers got off to a strong offensive start early. Just minutes into the game, Meagan McKenna (Halifax, NS) made a solo effort along the goal line after beating a defender, but her shot was just short as it hit the post.
The Tigers were able to get on the board just a few minutes later after a throw-in deep in the Panthers end landed on the boot of Maya Venkataraman (Summerland, BC) with her back to the goal. Venkataraman was able to spin around the defender on her back, and send a difficult shot into the opposite side of the net with her left foot.
In the 24th minute, Danielle Younker (Charlottetown, PEI) sent a free-kick high, to the right corner of the net for the Panthers, but goalie Kate Fines (Halifax, NS) was able to get her hands on it and tip it over the bar.
One final chance in the half came for the Panthers from a corner kick that found Jenna Mae Ellsworth (Charlottetown, PEI) in the box, but the shot was cleared out of the area by Rachelle Lalande (Halifax, NS). After the play, the whistle blew, ending the half with the Tigers holding a 1-0 lead.
14 minutes into the second half and the Tigers were pressuring hard in the attacking end, when a nice ball into the box forced the Panthers to give up a penalty rather than a clean shot in front from Lalande.
Fifth-year, and captain Amanda Bowles (Burlington, ON) stepped up to the spot for the Tigers. She stepped in and tried to curl a low ball to the left corner of the net, but the Panthers keeper Amanda Stanyer (Port Coquitlam, BC) got an outstretched hand on the ball to keep them within one.
With just over 15 minutes left in the match, the Tigers played a very defensive style, trying to hold possession as long as possible to sit on their lead.
The Tigers used this style to pick their opportunities to attack. In the 79th minute, Alyssa Hartlen (Waverly, NS) sent a bouncing cross past a defender to Brenna Kettlewell (Quispamsis, NB) in a perfect spot at the top of the box. Kettlewell faced up against the charging keeper, and calmly sent a low shot past Stanyer to give the Tigers a 2-0 lead.
The Panthers managed just one more shot in the dying minutes, as Lauren Clark (Charlottetown, PEI) sent a ball in from a long way out, and it was handled by Fines, who earned the clean sheet in the final regular season match as the Tigers took it 2-0.
The Subway Player of the Game from the Tigers was Taylor Goodwin (Hammonds Plains, NS) who led their defensive play and controlled the backfield at the end of the game.
The Dalhousie Department of Athletics congratulates our graduating women's soccer players:
The Tigers will continue their season into the AUS playoffs hosted in Antigonish, when they take on the host StFX X-Women on Friday.