USB Les Rouges three-peat as MCAC Women's Soccer Champions

On a windy and warm day, the #1 seed Université de Saint-Boniface (USB) Les Rouges (11-0-1 regular season record; 2-0 in playoffs) accomplished a three-peat as champions with a 4-1 victory over #2 Providence University College (PUC) Pilots (8-1-3 regular season record; 1-1 playoffs) at Sportsplex Field in the 2022 MCAC Women's Soccer Championship Final, hosted by Assiniboine Community College (ACC), on Sunday, October 30 in Brandon.

Les Rouges has now won their third consecutive conference title as they won last year and were also the last title holders prior to Covid-19 when they earned their first MCAC women's soccer championship in 2019.

USB put a stamp on this championship early with two quick goals in the first eight minutes as they utilized the wind to their advantage. Marijka Yaschyshyn scored twice as a header opened the scoring and then received a nice pass off a corner and there was no looking back for the defending champion.

PUC pushed back late in the half with a free kick that just missed and then to only see USB respond with a goal mouth scramble as 2022 MCAC Player of the Year Sara Boissonneault pushed the lead to three right before the halftime whistle.

PUC's All Conference Paige Heide breathed some life into to squad when she converted a low shot on a successful PK. The momentum was short lived as Les Rouges bounced back with Marlene Zarychta scoring off another corner kick at 71' for the final score.

Fifth year midfielder but first year with USB Marijka Yaschyshyn was selected Player of the Championship. She commented after the contest, "It was an amazing game and we all worked together to get the win. We saw some open spot to find ways to score and used the win well. Extremely excited to play in my first Nationals and to challenge ourselves and see how good a team we are."

The MCAC champion receives a berth into the 2022 Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Women's Soccer Championships hosted by Champlain College Saint-Lambert in Saint-Lambert, QC) running from November 9-12. This is only the second time for MCAC representative at the Nationals with both years USB being there.

USB's head coach Justin Légaré became emotional talking about this three-peat and his tenure with Les Rouges. "Being my last year as coach, this is emotionally hard with so many graduating players. We loved the competition against PUC this year. We are now going to work hard and give our best at Nationals and the goal is score first goal and first win there and then anything can happen. This is a really nice way to end my USB career with this team and win the conference championship."

The last time the same school won both MCAC women's and men's soccer championship in the same year was 2018 when Canadian Mennonite University (CMU) Blazers accomplish the double title feat.

2022 Manitoba Colleges Athletic Conference Soccer Championship

Hosted by: Assiniboine Community College; Central Time listed

Saturday, October 29

12 p.m.            MSOC: #1 seed BU Bobcats 2  #4 seed CMU Blazers 0

12 p.m.            MSOC: #3 seed USB Les Rouges 4  #2 seed PUC Pilots 0

2:30 p.m.         WSOC: #1 seed USB Les Rouges 4  #4 seed CMU Blazers 0

2:30 p.m.         WSOC: #2 seed PUC Pilots 3  #2 seed BU 0

Sunday, October 30

12 p.m.            Men's Championship Final: #3 seed USB Les Rouges 4  #1 seed BU Bobcats 3

2:30 p.m.         Women's Championship Final: #1 seed USB Les Rouges 4  #2 seed PUC Pilots 1

Photo: Aidan Froese