MCAC News

On a sunny, warm afternoon, the #3 seed Université de Saint-Boniface (USB) Les Rouges (7-1-4 regular season record; 2-0 postseason) won the championship after an upset over #1 seed Brandon University (BU) Bobcats (10-0-2 regular season record; 1-1 post-season) by a 4-3 margin at Sportsplex Field in the 2022 MCAC Men’s Soccer Championship Final, hosted by Assiniboine Community College (ACC), on Sunday, October 30 in Brandon. USB have won the conference title fives times and first one since 2017 (2014-17, 2022). USB’s Michael Zarychta opened the scoring after a cross went thru a Bobcat defender at the 13 minute mark. Brandon, the defending champion, responded when 2022 MSOC Player of the Year Camilo Rodriguez was pulled down in the box and he was successful on the ensuing penalty kick halfway into the first half. Only six minutes later, Franck Oumar N’Dia notched the second of the match for Les Rouges after the ball found its way onto his foot in the box and he blasted it home for the halftime lead.

In the second half, Brandon tried for the equalizer but it was USB which increased the lead with N’Dia scoring his second with a long shot that went through the legs of the Bobcats’ keeper. Salting the game away occurred in the 84 minute as Ibrahim Bezzahou scored from a goal mouth scramble and a 4-1 lead. The Bobcats would not go down without a fight as they scored twice in a couple minutes left in the game when Rodriguez had his second from the penalty spot and Bryson Haywood added another but it was too late and a new champion was crowned. USB’s head coach Seif Dhaoui commented after the win, “We had new players and new system and continued to get better this season and executed the plan today. We tried to not have Camilo receive the ball and pressure the passers to him and once we had the lead to continue the momentum and not let go of it.” Fourth year defender Ayman Soussi was named Player of the Championship and was emotional after the championship. “I thank the coaches as couldn’t do it without them. I started in 2017 and this means the world to me. Our talent didn’t change and we are a cohesive team with the young players and it showed during these playoffs.” The MCAC champion also earned a berth into the 2022 CCAC Men’s Soccer Championships hosted by Langara College in Langley, BC running from November 9-12 as only the second time for MCAC representative at the Nationals. Soussi remarked, “It is a big honour to represent Manitoba at the Nationals.” While Dhaoui talked about now and the future, “It will be amazing to see the level of other teams at the Nationals and we are young team with lots of second year players. Our first time there and there is no pressure and will compete as best as possible and build on that.”

On a windy and warm day, the #1 seed Université de Saint-Boniface (USB) Les Rouges (11-0-1 regular season record; 2-0 in playoffs) accomplished a three-peat as champions with a 4-1 victory over #2 Providence University College (PUC) Pilots (8-1-3 regular season record; 1-1 playoffs) at Sportsplex Field in the 2022 MCAC Women’s Soccer Championship Final, hosted by Assiniboine Community College (ACC), on Sunday, October 30 in Brandon. Les Rouges has now won their third consecutive conference title as they won last year and were also the last title holders prior to Covid-19 when they earned their first MCAC women’s soccer championship in 2019. USB put a stamp on this championship early with two quick goals in the first eight minutes as they utilized the wind to their advantage. Marijka Yashysshyn scored twice as a header opened the scoring and then received a nice pass off a corner and there was no looking back for the defending champion. PUC pushed back late in the half with a free kick that just missed and then to only see USB respond with a goal mouth scramble as 2022 MCAC Player of the Year Sara Boissonneault pushed the lead to three right before the halftime whistle.

PUC’s All Conference Paige Heide breathed some life into to squad when she converted a low shot on a successful PK. The momentum was short lived as Les Rouges bounced back with Marlene Zarychta scoring off another corner kick at 71’ for the final score. Fifth year midfielder but first year with USB Marijka Yashysshyn was selected Player of the Championship. She commented after the contest, “It was an amazing game and we all worked together to get the win. We saw some open spot to find ways to score and used the win well. Extremely excited to play in my first Nationals and to challenge ourselves and see how good a team we are.”

The MCAC champion receives a berth into the 2022 CCAC Women’s Soccer Championships hosted by Champlain College SaintLambert in Saint-Lambert, QC) running from November 9-12. This is only the second time for MCAC representative at the Nationals with both years USB being there. USB’s head coach Justin Légaré became emotional talking about this three-peat and his tenure with Les Rouges. “Being my last year as coach, this is emotionally hard with so many graduating players. We loved the competition against PUC this year. We are now going to work hard and give our best at Nationals and the goal is score first goal and first win there and then anything can happen. This is a really nice way to end my USB career with this team and win the conference championship.” The last time the same school won both MCAC women’s and men’s soccer championship in the same year was 2018 when Canadian Mennonite University (CMU) Blazers accomplish the double title feat.