Previewing Saturday: Dal Tigers v. UPEI Panthers (Women)

By Dylan Matthias



This one could be tough.

The Dalhousie Tigers' first match-up of the AUS soccer season is against probably the most difficult team in the league this year. In that sense, it's a critical battle for three points. It's also a battle Dal will likely lose.

The Tigers have never had an easy time with the Panthers, and this is a young edition of the Tigers, facing a reasonably experienced side from UPEI. The Panthers are returning most of their line-up from last year's CIS-hosting team that took Montreal to the edge in the quarter-finals, minus Tessa Roche, the AUS leading goal scorer last year.

That's a big hole to fill, and the Panthers will rely on star rookie Maria Scichilone to score goals this year. Even with Scichilone, UPEI won't score freely, but their defense proved more than able to cope with CIS forwards last fall and Allyson Seviour and Julie Lannan should have little trouble protecting the flanks. Chanelle Roy returns as arguably the best goalkeeper in AUS. The UPEI midfield is also competent defensively.

Although UPEI will be fairly predictable coming forward, the Tigers back-line is far from impenetrable and Scichilone gives the Panthers something a little different.

Tigers head coach Jack Hutchison called out defender Stephanie Crewe in preseason, saying she had to "settle down" and help lead the team. She'll likely play at centre-back alongside Kristy McGregor-Bales, a promising rookie. Megan Willox looked good at right back in preseason and Rieka Santilli can play there as well. Left-back is more of a problem for Dal, with Saint Mary's exposing them easily on that side several times last week.

After a low-scoring year in 2010, Dal have weapons up front this year and will cause some problems for the Panthers. Emma Landry is capable of beating defenders from wide positions and Bianca Jakisa had a terrific preseason and could break out this year. They lack a true target striker in the middle, however, though rookie Doriana Homerski may see some time there on Saturday. Acadia transfer Lauren Landry is the likely starter, however.

The game may be close, but the Panthers are a far more experienced team than this year's Tigers and can take three points from Wickwire on Saturday. Taryn McKenna, Daphne Wallace, and Santilli will help keep it close for Dal, but the Panthers will win it 1 - 0.

--Dylan Matthias is the editor-in-chief of the Dalhousie Gazette. He runs Dal Soccer Live on the side to provide more in-depth coverage of AUS and ACAA soccer. He has been a Toronto FC fan since Danny Dichio scored the team's first ever goal. It showed him the magic of soccer.