VOYAGEURS’ STRONG EXHIBITION SEASON BRINGS CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM

CALGARY, BANFF & OLDS – It's a mantra that Macky Singh will likely be preaching for the next two weeks: "It's only exhibition. It's only exhibition." And yet, it's hard for even the head coach not to get excited about the 2025 edition of the Portage College Voyageurs Women's Soccer Team after back-to-back weekends of impressive play.

A week after tying a strong squad from Université de St. Boniface and soundly beating a team from Assiniboine College, the Voyageurs undertook a Southern Alberta road trip, losing 2-0 to Ambrose University on Friday August 22 before besting Olds College 2-1 two days later. Dani Funk continued her torrid scoring pace, potting both Portage goals on Sunday, while the rest of team played a strong game.

"With the injuries we're battling through…I was pretty happy and pleased with their performance and the results that we came away with, " said Singh.

With an exhibition season record of two wins, one loss and one tie, it seems appropriate that the Voyageurs stopped for a meal at The Brewhouse in Banff as part of a team-building day in the resort town because something special appears to be brewing. Less than a year removed from routinely getting shellacked on the scoreboard, Portage's soccer squad is now driving the play and creating scoring chances for large portions of each contest. Singh, with more than three decades of coaching experience, is cognizant that his players can't get too excited, neglect their training or rest on their laurels as they prepare for the regular season start on September 6 – it's only exhibition season, after all. He knows that they have a way to go before they're able to compete with the top ACAC teams and yet, he can't help feeling chuffed with what he's seen so far this summer.

"I know it's exhibition games but still, we're playing college teams that play in our conference and out of conference and we're playing well so that's a positive for sure," he said. "We still need a building period of a year or two but it's good to see the program moving in the right direction."