Capers kick off AUS regular season with 3-2 home win over Reds
By Corey LeBlanc
Sydney – The Cape Breton University (CBU) Capers (1-0) opened the 2023 Atlantic University Sport (AUS) women's soccer regular season with a hard-fought 3-2 victory over the visiting UNB Reds (0-1) Saturday afternoon on the turf at Ness Timmons Soccer Field.
After taking a 3-0 edge early in the second half, the home side withstood a rally from the relentless visitors.
CBU forward Grace Hannaford (Enfield, NS) opened the scoring, in the eighth minute, when she headed a free kick from teammate Madalyn Hatfield (Dartmouth, NS) behind UNB keeper Lauren Kelly (Fredericton, NB).
In the 15th minute, off a deft left-footed corner kick to the far post by Makenna Bowser (Bible Hill, NS), Laren Rowe almost doubled the Caper advantage, but she just missed making contact on a soaring header deflection into an open net.
Moments later, Grace Hannaford garnered another opportunity for her second marker of the half, but she hit the outside of the net – on the short side – after converting a passing play from teammates Ally Rowe (Kitchener, ON) and Rebecca Lambke (Antigonish, NS).
In the 25th minute, the Reds came up empty on consecutive corner kicks, with freshman Caper keeper Ellie Lancaster (Fall River, NS) and her defense able to maintain a clear sheet.
After causing a CBU turnover, UNB forward Aurora Hughes-Goyette (Garibaldi Heights, BC) raced into the box, but Hatfield tracked her down before she could get a shot away.
First-year Caper Leah Disipio (Ottawa, ON), after darting down the far side wing, made a nifty cross in the penalty area, but none of her teammates could corral the pass for a scoring chance.
On a goal line scramble after another quality corner kick from Bowser, Kelly – after coming off her line to make the catch – banged into Lauren Rowe on her landing and the ball squirted free. Ally Rowe – last season's AUS MVP and All-Canadian – pounced on the loose change and then deposited a left-footed shot behind Kelly to make it 2-0 in the 35th minute.
Late in the first half, Lancaster made her best stop on a short side strike from Hughes-Goyette, who made another strong run into the CBU zone.
The Capers led 2-0 at halftime.
Early in the second half, in the 55th minute, last season's top rookie in the conference, Grace Hannaford (Enfield, NS) – after making a run to the top of the UNB box – ripped a right-footed strike that eluded the outstretch arm of Kelly to make it 3-0 for CBU.
A short time later, Julia Dalley (Burlington, ON) and Heidi Lauwerijssen (Kensington, PE) of UNB could not capitalize on chances during a goal-mouth scramble; their shots deflecting off Caper defenders. On a second opportunity for Lauwerijssen, seconds later, CBU's veteran midfielder-defender Lambke made the stop on her goal line.
Later in the second half, from almost the same spot on the field, Hannaford – player of the match for the Capers – blasted a left-footed strike towards the top corner, but Kelly soared to make a sensational save.
When Jillian Larose (Ottawa, ON) had the chance to slice the deficit in half for the Reds, Lancaster made the stop. On a pair of subsequent corner kicks, UNB could not muster any threat.
In the 65th minute, Lancaster maintained the three-goal edge with a save off a UNB header.
Not long after that stop, Helen Langrehr (Munich, GER) got behind the Caper defense and bested the freshman CBU keeper to make it 3-1.
In the 81st minute, Ally Rowe tried to restore the three-goal Caper lead, but Kelly made a great save on the hard shot.
Sophie Maillet (Fredericton, NB), in the 87th minute, inspired the visitors with a marker to make it 3-2, but they could get no closer in stoppage time.
Hughes-Goyette garnered the player of the match nod for the Reds.
UNB will return to action on Sunday, Sept. 3, when they visit the STFX X-Women in Antigonish, at 1 p.m., while the Capers will host the Université de Moncton Aigles Bleues, beginning at 3 p.m.