The sunbaked plastic squares at McMahon Stadium are filled with families ready to watch the Dinos women’s soccer team's final preseason game. Pump-up music blasts as the Dinos team runs up and down the field in a warm-up while the Saskatchewan Huskies do monster walks down their half of the field in preparation.
With two losses under their belt and one win, the Dinos are hungry for a win to end their preseason.
Two weeks out from their first conference game against Manitoba, the Dinos are looking less like a polished product and more like a work in progress. After a strong campaign last season ended in the Canada West Bronze game, the Dinos face a transitional period following the graduation of 10 players. Head coach Diogo Raposo sees promise in his team as they learn where the pieces fit together.
“We've got lots of quality. We're not in a place yet where we're happy with our performances [...] We've tried lots of things. Some of it's working, some of it needs a little bit more time. But we have two weeks until our first game, so we'll use all that time to peak at the right time as well,” said Raposo.
That growing process was on display Saturday afternoon.
As the whistle blew, both teams settled into an evenly matched first half. The Dinos moved the ball up the field, finding openings and earning two corner kicks but the Huskies’ defence held firm. The Dinos second year goalkeeper Roslyn Boundy was equally steady, keeping the Huskies off the scoresheet as both teams battled through the heat.
Neither side could find the breakthrough before halftime, sending the teams into the break tied 0–0.
The second half brought a shift in momentum.
The Huskies found their opening and slipped the ball past Boundy to take a 1-0 lead. The goal sparked a response from the Dinos, who pushed further up the field in search of an equalizer.
Refusing to yield, the players called to one another and scrambled for possession. Boundy remained locked in and active in the net, diving for loose balls.
But the Huskies struck again, extending their lead to 2-0.
With the game slipping away, the Dinos became even more aggressive. The women eventually found their breakthrough after a throw-in created an opening in front of the net.
The final minutes were a scramble, with the Dinos pushing forward and the Huskies defending their lead. The Dinos could not find a second goal before the final whistle, and the Huskies walked away with a 2-1 victory.
The loss leaves the Dinos women with one win, one draw and three losses through five preseason games. But for a team integrating new players after losing 10 graduates, the preseason has been about more than just the results.
“Right now I think it's more about one step at a time,” Raposo said. “We've taken preseason deliberately to go through steps and build a foundation, so I'm not looking too far ahead.”
Raposo believes this process will ultimately benefit the team throughout the season.
With two weeks remaining before conference play, the Dinos have time to build on what preseason has shown them. The results may not have been what they hoped for, but the four games have offered a look at a team still finding its rhythm, learning each other's strengths and figuring out how its new pieces fit together. Now, that work moves into the regular season, facing off with the Manitoba Bisons waiting on the other side.
