SHORTHANDED VOYAGEURS SHOW LOTS OF HEART AT FIRST NORTHEASTREGIONAL

FORT MCMURRAY – Take a relatively inexperienced and shorthanded squad, sprinkle in a few injuries and bake. Not exactly a recipe for success – but only because there weren't enough ingredients.

The Portage College Voyageurs played with heart, determination and solid structure at the first Northeast Regional in Fort McMurray January 18 and 19 and while it wasn't enough to secure any victories, it was enough to impress Head Coach Macky Singh. Despite a string of injuries to an already shorthanded squad, the Voyageurs put in valiant efforts against three tough opponents, losing 5-1 to Lakeland College, 3-1 to The King's University (TKU) and 4-0 to host Keyano College. Ash Hennefent scored for Voyageurs against Lakeland while Ashley Tweedy scored versus TKU.

"In the second game (against TKU), we really worked hard," said Singh. "The ladies did really well in that second game, battled hard, and just got unlucky with a couple of the goals. We managed to score a goal as well, making it really tight for that game."

The third match against Keyano started ominously for the visitors, with ACAC All Conference All Star Lilly Mangan unavailable to tend the net. The decision was made during the pre-game warmup to put Tweedy in goal.

"That decision kinda wrecked some of the players and so we started a little slow and Keyano scored quickly," said Singh. "But then we settled down and in the second half, we didn't allow any goals. It was 4-nil in the first half and no scoring in the second half so the ladies did well. We could've even scored a couple as well."

With an 0-3 record and only three more games to play in the second Northeast Regional in three weeks, the Voyageurs will have a tough time qualifying for the ACAC championship tournament. Nonetheless, Singh is encouraged by his players' showing in Fort Mac. He just wishes he had a few more healthy bodies.

"If we had four or five more players we would've been able to compete and get really close with all the games," he said. "The players just ran out of gas, basically, which made it tough on them but I was really pleased with the women all weekend."

Photo credits to Robert Murray - Keyano Huskies Athletics