U of A Weekend Sports Recap - Sept. 23, 2012

This weekend, the Golden Bears soccer team continued their streak of shutout victories. They remain ranked first nationally, the U of A football squad had their highest scoring game of the season, the Pandas soccer team remain undefeated and the Golden Bears hockey team became the top team at the Brick Invitational.

Golden Bears Football:

In their highest scoring game of the season, the nationally eighth-ranked University of Manitoba Bisons defeated the visiting Golden Bears 51-38 on Saturday. The two teams combined for almost 1,100 total yards of offence in a game that tied the Bisons for second in the Canada West conference with a 3-1 record, while the University of Alberta remains tied for last with UBC as the two teams with a winless record of 0-4.

Manitoba’s offence continued to be the team’s greatest strength. Quarterback Cam Clark tied second place in team history for most passing yards in a single game with 442 yards, completing 23 passes on 27 attempts with four touchdowns. Running back Nic Demski accounted for 238 all-purpose yards, including two touchdowns and 128 punt return yards on three attempts.

Bears quarterback Curtis Dell had his strongest game of the season with 335 passing yards and one touchdown while running for 60 yards and one rushing touchdown. Wide receiver Jess Valleau also had a big game with 158 receiving yards on six catches. Along with 62 kick return yards and 70 punt return yards, Valleau accumulated 290 all-purpose yards.

Next week, both teams will play their main rivals in the standings. Manitoba will play the University of Regina, with whom they’re tied for second place, while the Golden Bears will host UBC in a game that will see both teams looking for their first win of the year.

Golden Bears soccer:

In their third weekend in a row playing schools new to CIS, the Golden Bears continued their streak of shutout soccer with a pair of victories over the University of Winnipeg Wesmen. The Bears won their first game against the Wesmen 4-0 on Saturday and followed it with a 5-0 win the next day.

All three goals on Saturday were contributed in a hat trick scored by fourth-year midfielder Zenon Markevych, maintaining the nationally first-ranked bears’ perfect record of 4-0. The Wesmen, meanwhile, fall to a .500 record of 2-2-1. Markevych opened scoring just nine minutes into the game on the way to an Alberta win.

In Sunday’s game, another Bears player scored a hat trick when third-year striker Marcus Johnstone contributed three goals against the Wesmen. Johnstone now has seven goals and 10 points through five regular season games this season, leading the Canada West conference now in both categories.

The Bears are currently ranked first in the country in men’s soccer with a 5-0 record, all five wins being shutouts of their opponents. However, all five games have also been against opponents that are new to CIS. Next weekend that trend will change when the Bears travel to B.C. to play the University of Victoria and University of Fraser Valley, two more experienced teams.

Pandas soccer:

After starting their season with two weekends on the road, the Pandas soccer team held their home opener with a 3-1 win over Mount Royal University. The beginning of the season saw a busy four road games in two weekends for the Pandas who emerged from the two weekend road trips with an overall record of 2-0-2.

Remaining undefeated, the Pandas got on the board early when fifth-year midfielder Carleigh Miller scored within the first five minutes of play. MRU tied the game before the end of the first half, but early in the second, fourth-year defender Shalal Khadima scored the game-winning goal for the Pandas who never looked back.

The Pandas will next play another home game next Sunday at 2 p.m. at Foote Field when they host the UNBC Timberwolves who, at a record of 0-5-1, have yet to win a game.

Golden Bears hockey:

In the final weekend of the preseason, the Golden Bears hockey team faced their most difficult test before their regular season begins at the 28th Brick Invitational tournament. But neither win came easy as the Bears defeated the University of Saskatchewan 2-1 in a shootout victory and followed it the next night with a 5-4 overtime win against CIS newcomers, Mount Royal University.

Their game against the U of S was the Bears’ first meeting with the Huskies since Saskatchewan eliminated the U of A in last season’s Canada West semi-finals. A shootout was needed to break the a 1-1 stalemate between the two teams. It ended in the fourth round with a U of A goal from fourth-year forward and the Bears’ top scorer from last season, Sean Ringrose.

Ringrose followed his shootout winner with the game-winning goal in overtime the next night to help the Golden Bears defeat the Mount Royal University Cougars in overtime, 5-4. The team was led by Kruise Reddick who added two goals and an assist and received help with goals added by first-year players Rhett Rachinski and Matt Meropoulis. At the other end of the ice, MRU goalie Justin Cote made 51 saves in just over 65 minutes of play.

The U of A finished in first place in the Brick Invitational with two wins and a 7-5 goal differential. Golden Bear forwards Kruise Reddick, Travis Toomey and Sean Ringrose along with defenceman Ben Lindemulder were chosen to the Brick’s All-Tournament Team with Reddick also picking up the tournament MVP award.

The Golden Bears will open their season next weekend at home with a pair of games on Friday and Saturday night against the visiting University of Manitoba Bisons who finished the regular season in first place in the Canada West standings.

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