February Bobcats Recap
by Trinity Nylon
Men’s Soccer
The futsal season for the Bobcats men’s soccer team has been filled with excitement. The MCAC (Manitoba Colleges Athletic Conference) operates the futsal season in a tournament-style format, with teams playing two games per competition day.
The season opened on January 14th with the Bobcats facing off against the CMU Blazers and St. Boniface Les Rouges. During their first game, the men's team dominated with a 4-1 win over the Blazers. However, the Bobcats fell to St. Boniface in the second game with a 2-3 loss.
January 20th was a new day when the Bobcats played at home against the ACC Cougars and Providence Piolets. Our men’s team split with an early win against the Cougars but fell in a close 3-4 game against the Piolets.
On February 4th, the Bobcats got redemption against the Providence Piolets when they beat them 9-5 in the early game. However, ACC held our Bobcats to a draw (4-4) in their second match of the day.
The final weekend of the regular season saw a flip of the opening weekend's results. The Bobcats fell 2-9 to the Blazers in the opening game. The Bobcats managed to get their groove back by the afternoon, defeating les Rouges 4-2.
Going into finals weekend, the Bobcats were tied for first in the league based on points; however, they were dropped to second under Providence due to their goal differential. The Bobcats are back at the HLC on March 9th and 10th, where they will be looking to secure the futsal championship for the third straight year.
Women’s Soccer
The Bobcats women’s soccer team entered the futsal season under the direction of Diego Rodriguez Sr. and Bailee Ploshynsky following the resignation of head coach Orlin Chalmers in late November. The regular season began on January 14th, with the Bobcats facing off against the CMU Blazers and St. Boniface Les Rouges. During their first game, the women’s team started shaky but secured a close win (3-2) over the Blazers. Unfortunately, the Bobcats fell short of the victory in their second game against St. Boniface with a 5-6 loss.
Weekend number two (January 20th), the Bobcats got back on track, dominating the ACC Cougars with an 11-1 win. The momentum continued into their second game of the day, earning a 5-3 victory over the Providence Piolets.
On February 4th, the Cougars and Piolets had the opportunity for a rematch. This was no problem for the Bobcats, who began the day with a 4-3 win over the Piolets, followed by a 9-3 win over the Cougars.
The final weekend, of the regular season, February 17th, had mixed results for the Bobcats. They began their day with a 2-0 win over the CMU Blazers, earning their first clean sheet of the futsal season. However, in their rematch against St. Boniface, they inched their way closer to a win but could not secure it with a tied game (1-1).
Going into finals weekend, the Bobcats are ranked second in the league under les Rouges. The Bobcats will have their season debut at the HLC on March 9th and 10th, where they will be looking to secure their first futsal championship after a loss in the futsal final last season.
Men’s Volleyball
The Bobcats men’s volleyball team started off strong for the second half of the regular season. On January 5th and 6th, they secured two straight wins against the University of Calgary Dinos. Trinity Western University proved to me a bit more of a challenge for the Bobcats as they fell in the fourth set on January 19th. The following day, the Bobcats persevered and showed grit on the court, ultimately winning the five-set rematch.
January 26th and 27th the Bobcats as they swept the UBC-Okanagan Heat in three sets in both matches. However, Mount Royal showed the Bobcats what they were made of on February 2nd and 3rd, with the Bobcats falling in both matches.
The two final weekends of the regular season put the Bobcats on a three-game win streak – beating Thompson Rivers in both matches (Feb 9th and 10th) and UBC Thunderbirds Friday night (Feb 16th) – however, the Bobcats were unable to hold on through their final game falling to UBC in their fifth set.
The Bobcats have secured their place in the Canada West Quarterfinal and will begin with a three-match series against Trinity Western – playing February 22nd to 24th.
Women’s Volleyball
The Bobcats women’s volleyball team started off the second half of the Canada West (U-Sport) season with promise, earning themselves their first win in three sets against the University of Regina Cougars. However, the Cougars returned with a fight the next day, securing themselves their first win of the season in five sets.
In the following four weekends of the regular season, the Bobcats faced off against Trinity Western University, Mount Royal University, Thompson Rivers University, and the University of British Columbia but ultimately proved unsuccessful. The Bobcats were unable to qualify for the Canada West Playoffs.
Men’s Basketball
The Bobcats women’s basketball team started the second half of the Canada West season hot with four straight wins, defeating both MacEwan University and the University of Saskatchewan during both double header matches. However, the Bobcats got too comfortable, falling to Fraser Valley on January 26th and 27th and the University of Victoria the following weekend.
The Bobcats were safe, having already secured their spot in the Canada West Championship Tournament starting February 21st. Wednesday, they secured a win on their first game of the tournament against the University of Saskatchewan Huskies 62-55. However, they were unprepared for their rematch against the University of Victoria, who knocked them out of the tournament with an 85-98 loss in the quarter-final.
Women’s Basketball
The Bobcats women’s basketball team started off the second half of the Canada West (U-Sport) season with fire. On January 13th, the Bobcats played a hard-fought game against MacEwan University, dropping by only five points. The following day, the Bobcats returned with a vengeance, securing themselves their first win of the season 96-62.
In the following four weekends of the regular season, the Bobcats faced off against the University of Saskatchewan, Fraser Valley, and the University of Victoria but ultimately proved unsuccessful. The Bobcats were unable to qualify for the Canada West Playoffs.