Capers women take unbeaten streak into weekend play

You have to go back two seasons to find the last regular season loss for the Cape Breton University Capers women's soccer team.

The Capers women are unbeaten in their last 23 games. Their last setback in the regular season came Oct. 21, 2011 against the St. Francis Xavier X-Women. They have a record of 17-0-6 since that loss.

"You're not going to win every year, but when you look at the last 10 years here where it's 84 percent winning percentage, kids realize that and know that when they come to this program," said Capers head coach Ness Timmons. "It's just not a team hit or miss, it's a lot of consistency and the program is built to a level now where we put ourselves in the picture every year and that's what we want to do."

The Capers will look to continue their winning ways this weekend against the University of New

Brunswick Varsity Reds on Saturday and the Moncton Aigles Bleues on Sunday at the Cape

Breton Health Recreation Complex.

One player who's been around for that streak is fourth-year keeper Tiffany O'Donnell.

The Cole Harbour native has an unbeaten streak of her own this season. She's 2-0-3 in five starts and has recorded three shutouts. Last season, she finished with a 9-0-2 mark and four shutouts.

"This is probably the most confident and strongest I've ever felt going into a season," she said. "It's my fourth year and I feel more ready than ever to play every game. There's always going to

be some nerves, but I always feel more confident than ever."

Over her career, O'Donnell currently sports a 20-2-6 record with 15 shutouts in the Capers

cage. She's benefitted from a Capers team that's been filling the net this season and boasts

plenty of offensive weapons.

The Capers lead the conference with 23 goals scored, but have allowed only five goals all

season. Four of those came in their season opener, a 4-4 draw with the Dalhousie Tigers.

"We seem to have found our stride," said O'Donnell. "We've been getting a ton of goals lately

and few shots on either me or (fellow keeper Lysianne Trottier). We had a lot of personal bests

in our fitness testing and we're fully confident going into the weekend."

The third-place Capers (4-0-3) are chasing the first-place Aigles Bleues (6-2-0). UNB (2-3-2)

is in eighth place in the conference.

"We're trying to get a bye here," said Timmons. "We certainly have a run at the top of the table.

We're looking at some other teams, but we're one point behind Dal with a game in hand, so

we could catch them this weekend with some good results."

Games Saturday and Sunday at the Cape Breton Health Recreation Complex are scheduled

for 1 p.m. (women) and 3:15 p.m. (men) each day.