The Manitoba Colleges Athletic Conference (MCAC) women's soccer championship returned last year after a one year hiatus due to the pandemic. This season has been another very competitive battle to see who will hoist the conference trophy in 2022. Assiniboine Community College (ACC) is the host of this year's Final Four on October 29-30 with the winner representing MCAC at the Nationals.

ACC's Athletics Manager Lindsay McLaughlin commented about hosting the Final Four: "We are looking forward to play host for the soccer championship in Brandon again this year. The league this season overall was very strong with a lot of entertaining match ups. It is unfortunate our teams were just shy of making it to the tournament but we look forward to a weekend full of exciting competition."

#1 USB Les Rouges vs. #4 CMU Blazers – 2:30 p.m. CT start at Sportsplex Field on Saturday, October 29

Université de Saint-Boniface (USB) Les Rouges (11-0-1 regular season record) seeks to defend their MCAC title captured in 2021. Les Rouges enters as one of the hottest teams in the nation as they start this Final Four on a six game winning streak and also placed ninth in the latest Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) national rankings. Their only loss was on Sept. 28 (2-1 PUC at USB) and they have registered 10 shutouts out of 12 games while outscoring their opponents 62-4 so far this season.

Les Rouges were the last title holders prior to Covid-19 when they earned their first MCAC women's soccer championship in 2019.

They have extensive experience as led by 2022 MCAC Player of the Year fourth year forward Sara Boissonneault. She scored 21 goals and added six multiple goal games this season. Les Rouges had four 2022 All Conference selections with Boissonneault along with fifth year midfielder, team captain Katie Moniot (four goals, T-10th in MCAC scoring), second year defender Tara Boulanger (two goals and Player of Week winner) and fourth year forward Stéphanie Jones (10 goals, 2nd in MCAC scoring).

The two teams met to end the regular season with a USB 5-0 road win on Oct. 23.

USB head coach Justin Légaré commented, "We have been competing and building on our strengths this season, looking at new and creative ways to play to continue to grow as a team. We are looking forward to this weekend and playing against the other MCAC teams and seeing all the talent showcased at the peak of the year."

Canadian Mennonite University (CMU) Blazers (4-1-7 regular season record) looks for the upset after improving their regular season record from last season. CMU has seen four different players on the scoresheet in 2022. Fourth year midfielder, team captain Tiegan Kroeker earned back-to-back All Conference recognition plus was a Player of the Week selection this year. Second year midfielder Ayesha Umar finished as the top team scorer with four goals and T-10th in MCAC scoring.

The squad also produced three shutouts and will look to different ways to score and keep USB off the scoreboard to advance to the finals. CMU has had a strong finish with three wins, one draw in their last six matches heading into the post-season.

Blazers co-head coach Cara Isaak stated, "I think we are in for a great weekend of soccer. ACC always does an outstanding job when they host and both our teams are feeling up to the challenge in their semi-final matches. Many of these student-athletes are going into championship weekend in the midst of midterms, so I'm just really proud of them for how they're able to balance everything and still bring such great energy to these games."

The Blazers last won the conference championship in 2018 and would want to reverse the result of last year's semi-final match between the same two teams.

#2 PUC Pilots vs. #3 BU Bobcats – 2:30 p.m. CT start at HLC Field on Saturday, October 29

A rematch of the 2021 semi-final expects to be as tight as the 1-0 extra time win by Brandon. Providence University College (PUC) Pilots (8-1-3 regular season record) had a banner 2022 season as they had a six match winning streak plus defeated number one seed USB Les Rouges for their only loss of this regular season. The Pilots also improved four points and one spot in conference standing from 2021 with three All-Conference players and 2022 MCAC Coach of the Year was PUC's Tory Walker.

PUC's All Conference players were led by third year defender Ava Temple who scored seven goals (5th in MCAC scoring) in 11 games played and Player of the Week selection; third year defender Paige Heide had eight goals (4th in MCAC scoring) while 2021, 2022 All Conference: third year midfielder, team co-captain Jessica Waytiuk played nine games and added one goal and part of defence that recorded six shutouts.

Both teams met three times In 2022 and split all matches with one win, one loss and one draw. The last meeting was a 2-1 Pilots victory at home on Oct. 23

Walker said, "The Providence women's soccer team is really excited for this upcoming MCAC championship. Our group is really motivated to continuing to improve and learn daily and the results have started to show throughout the year. This team has been really exciting to coach this year because of that hunger to keep improving and being learners of the game. I am proud of the team for finishing as the #2 seed heading into the MCAC championships and being ranked high is a testament to the hard work our team has put in this year. I am really excited for the week of training and am excited to see how we do this weekend."

The Pilots seek to add to their collection of MCAC championships they won in 2008 and from 2012-14.

Brandon University (BU) Bobcats (5-2-5 regular season record) has had an up and down season and goal is for a lengthy post-season run. Brandon was as high as number 14 in the CCAA national rankings and wants to recapture the MCAC title for the first time since 2017.

The squad had a five match unbeaten streak (Sept. 14-28) earlier in this season and has produced an even season series against PUC to match up well during a second consecutive playoff encounter.

Third year midfielder Ashley Robinson earned All Conference selection this year for BU as she played all 12 games and was part of defence that had three shutouts. There were three Bobcat players in Top 10 conference goal scoring led by second year midfielder Kenadie Janzen and first year midfielder Keashae Masters both with six goals (T-6th in MCAC) while second year defender Kylie Van De Woestyne scored five times (T-8th in MCAC).

BU head coach Danielle Sanjenko talked about the playoffs, "Heading into the Final Four tournament brings with it excitement, motivation and of course some pressure, which we are openly embracing. I'm eager to see all teams put their best foot forward and look forward to the opportunity for our girls to showcase their play!"