Unbeaten and unrelenting: Dinos devour the weekend with back-to-back shutouts
By Leigh Patrick, with files from Dinos Communications
Two games. Zero goals conceded. Five scored.
The Dinos’ women’s soccer team swept the field with power and precision this weekend. They earned back-to-back home wins — 3-0 Friday evening and 2-0 Saturday night against the Manitoba Bison. The Dinos continue to build a fortress at McMahon.
Both matches ended in triumph. Playing the same team twice in one weekend had its challenges, but the Dinos didn’t hesitate. Still undefeated, the girls stormed the field, eager to bounce back from last weekend’s intense tie against the MacEwan Griffins. Their drive to maintain high standards was unmistakable.
Fifth-year forward Grace Moore brought the heat with the first goal Friday night, just after the 11-minute mark, bringing her season total to six goals. Just over 60 seconds later, Moore stepped up again. She sent a beautiful through pass to second-year forward Sarah Donick, earning Moore an assist to add to her goal from earlier in the half.
Their passing was so fluid it felt like telepathy with the Dinos holding possession for the majority of the game. Fifth-year midfielder Jayden Berg played strongly on the backline, showcasing speed and dexterity throughout the night.
“Bergey’s a warrior,” head coach Diogo Raposo said. “He’ll play anywhere on the field and do an amazing job for us. She’s someone we trust a lot.”
Fifth-year midfielder Aislin Phillips was another star on Friday evening. She remained consistent in set pieces — including three corner kicks. Phillips buried her third straight penalty kick of the season, sealing a 3-0 halftime lead. All three of Phillips’ goals have been penalties so far this season.
“I’ve taken quite a few in my day,” Phillips said. “I try to visualize where I’m going before I even kick the ball, and as soon as the ref hits the whistle, I try to go, so I don’t get into my head too much and overthink it.”
Even without any successful goals in the second half, the Dinos played hard and kept the ball moving. Fifth-year goalkeeper Lauren Houghton made a few exceptional saves with all of the players playing strong defensively to keep the ball out of their half of the field as much as possible. Despite the Bisons’ efforts to push the Dinos and shift momentum, the Dinos maintained their game and did not falter.
“We love the ball. We’ve got some really talented players. So they’re going to make it really difficult for us to break down,” Raposo said.
Returning to McMahon less than 24 hours after Friday’s victory, Saturday proved to be a showcase of talent up and down the roster.
The first half was quiet on the scoreboard but intense on the field. Hungry to close out the weekend with a win, the Bisons came out aggressively, ready to challenge the equally determined and undefeated Dinos. Despite strong control and passing, the half played out like a ping-pong match, with possession bouncing back and forth. The Dinos took 13 shots and put Bisons’ goalkeeper Holly Dyker to work.
The half ended 0-0 with tensions high.
“We talked about being adaptable in the locker room and then changing a little bit of the style and how we played because it couldn’t just be the same thing over and over,” Raposso shared.
Fifth-year midfielder Isabella DiPalma showed that change of style, scoring a header as the first goal of the night at the 59th minute, inciting an eruption of cheers from Dinos fans. Three minutes later, she struck again, putting the score at 2-0 and increasing her personal scoring total to five goals this season.
“I was just happy my team put it on a platter for me,” DiPalma said about the goal. “It was hard to keep a positive mindset when we weren’t really getting the results, but we knew that it was going to come. There was no doubt.”
From there, the energy on the field changed. Confidence was palpable, and the Dinos were ready to claim their ninth victory. Maintaining possession proved key to staying ahead. With excellent dribbling action and passing along the sides, the Dinos stayed sharp through to the last whistle.
Next up
The Dinos continue their home stand against the Saskatchewan Huskies next Saturday, followed by the Regina Cougars on Sunday. The Saskatchewan teams will have to face a side that has proven to be consistent and ruthless. This is a team that doesn’t just defend — they devour.
“Sask is a really good opponent,” Raposo said. “They need the points, so they’re really, really hungry.”
But the Dinos might be hungrier. They’re chasing legacies, with many on the team playing their final season. Every match is not just a game — it is a statement. If any team wants to take these Dinos down this year, they’ll have to claw for every inch.