Womens soccer season ends at hands of Huskies

 An incredible season for the UBC Okanagan Heat women's soccer team came to an end on Saturday afternoon as they lost 1-0 to the Saskatchewan Huskies in the Canada West Quarter-finals. 

It was the Heat's first time reaching the quarter-finals but they were stymied by a strong defensive effort from the Huskies, who advance to the Final Four.

UBCO's leading goal scorer Stefanie Young was surrounded by heavy pressure throughout the match. Keeping the 14-goal scorer off the score sheet proved to be a successful strategy for Saskatchewan.

Alyssa D'Agnone, from Lethbridge, Alta., scored the deciding goal for the Huskies in the 28th minute. The Canada West Second Team All-Star buried a shot past the out-streatched arms of UBCO's Talia Gagnon for the game's lone goal.

Gagnon, a product of Dieppe, N.B., made three stops in her playoff debut while the Huskies' Kalin Roberts, of Calgary, made four stops for the clean sheet.

UBCO had a handful of good chances with their best opportunity coming off the foot of Alyssa Scott in the 42th minute. North Vancouver's Scott took a pass at the top of the box and fired a seeing-eye shot that was tipped just over the net by a diving Roberts.

This afternoon's match was UBCO's second-ever playoff berth and their first since 2016.

TOP PERFORMERS
Abigail Taneda - UBCO Heat
The third-year forward left it all on the field on Saturday, recording a pair of shots on net in her first career playoff start. The West Kelowna, B.C., native played all 90 minutes for the Heat and had a spectacular scoring chance in the 15th minute.

Alyssa D'Agnone - Saskatchewan Huskies
The third-year's game winner sends the Huskies to the final four for the second time in three years. The Canada West All-Star has scored seven times this season, with three of those markers coming against the Heat.