From a field of 12 teams down to four, the Keyano Huskies Women's Futsal team have played their way into a chance to compete for a medal this weekend in Edmonton at ACAC Women's Futsal Championships.
Emerging from the Northeast Divison, the Huskies will be joined by the NAIT Ooks, SAIT Trojans, and Lethbridge College Kodiaks in pursuit of ACAC glory with a first-time champion set to be crowned regardless of the team that wins.
For the Huskies at least, they've been looking to stay game ready, last playing on February 19 while the final spots in other divisions were secured as late as March 12.
ACAC Women's Futsal News & Notes:
-The Women's Futsal Huskies enter this weekend's championship as the most successful of the four teams competing, earning a Silver medal and three Bronze medals on the ACAC stage. The Kodiaks have a Silver medal on their resume and the Trojans have a single Bronze medal from their brief foray into the sport.
-All of the Huskies' medals came in the first five years of competition in the sport, which began in 2011-12. They earned Bronze in 2012, 2013, and 2014 before earning their Silver in 2016. The Huskies have also participated in a pair of other Bronze medal matches.
-Last contested in 2019, the ACAC will see first-time champion from the quartet present in Edmonton. That was due to the previous champions still competing in the ACAC being outsed in each of their respective divisonal battles. The Huskies dispatched of the Lakeland Rustlers, who won in 2013, while the Kodiaks denied the Medicine Hat College Rattlers (2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018) and Ambrose Lions (2019).
The Mount Royals University Cougars won the inaugural Women's Futsal Championship in 2012 and have since moved along to compete in Canada West.
-The Huskies and Trojans both earned perfect 4-0 records while the Kodiaks and Ooks each used 3-1 records and tiebreakers to secure their spots.
-On the goal differential side, the Trojans lead the way with a +38. The Huskies were next at +17 with the Kodiaks at +14 and the Ooks at +10.
-Emma Bendera leads the Huskies with six goals through the regular season. Natalie Orellana is next with four goals while Selena Arima and Marissa Mestre each have three. Sophie Griffiths has a pair of goals while three other Huskies (Blanca Palavecino, Madison Tyson, Katelyn Boxall) each have a single goal.
2022 ACAC Women's Futsal Championship host by The King's University Eagles - Keyano Huskies Schedule
Saturday, March 26 - Lethbridge Kodiaks vs. Keyano Huskies - 10:00 am
Saturday, March 26 - NAIT Ooks vs. Keyano Huskies - 6:30 pm
Sunday, March 27 - SAIT Trojans vs. Keyano Huskies - 12:30 pm
Sunday, March 27 - Bronze medal game - 3:00 pm
Sunday, March 27 - Gold medal game - 6:30 pm
