Weekend recap: Kodiaks futsal teams tested at opening South Regional

The Lethbridge Polytechnic Kodiaks futsal teams had a solid showing at their first South Regional this past weekend.

The women’s team finished the weekend 1–2 after going up against two teams that finished top three in the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) last season.

The men’s team had an excellent weekend finishing 2-1, only losing to last year’s futsal champions the Medicine Hat College Rattlers. 

Jan. 31 WFUT | Kodiaks 3 vs MHC Rattlers 4

The Kodiaks women’s futsal team dropped a tight rematch against the regional host Rattlers, falling by a single goal once again. The Kodiaks allowed two goals in the opening half, while Kiara Jankowiak (third year, General Arts and Science, Lethbridge) finished the match with 22 saves in goal to keep her team within reach. The Rattlers added another shortly after the break before Khloe Jankowiak (third year, Business Administration – Accounting, Lethbridge) responded by scoring two goals to pull the Kodiaks back into the game. The Rattlers answered with one more of their own to regain a safer lead. Khloe Jankowiak’s offensive pressure continued as she scored from beyond half with less than two minutes remaining to bring the Kodiaks within one. Unfortunately, time ran out before the Kodiaks could complete the comeback and the game ended 4–3.

ACAC Player of the Game:

LPK: #2 Khloe Jankowiak

Jan. 31 WFUT | Kodiaks 1 vs OC Broncos 0

The Kodiaks bounced back in their second game of the day against the Olds College Broncos. The opening half was a back-and-forth battle, with Samantha Demchuk (fifth year, Bachelor of Nursing, Whitehorse, Yukon) standing tall in goal by stopping all seven Broncos shots in the first half. The Kodiaks recorded six shots of their own but were unable to find the back of the net before the break. Coming out of halftime, the Kodiaks found renewed energy as Sophie Demarsh (second year, Criminal Justice - Corrections, Calgary) scored to give the Kodiaks the lead. The Kodiaks defence held firm down the stretch, with Demchuk turning aside 10 more shots to finish with 17 saves and complete the shutout.

ACAC Player of the Game:

LPK: #31 Samantha Demchuk 

Feb. 1 WFUT | Kodiaks 1 vs SAIT Trojans 3

In the final match of the regional tournament, the Kodiaks struggled to find an offensive rhythm against a strong SAIT Trojans lineup. SAIT came out quickly, generating quality chances and building a 2–0 lead by halftime. The Trojans maintained their momentum after the break, adding another goal before Abigail Leusink (third year, Open Studies, Picture Butte) scored her first ACAC futsal goal to limit the damage for the Kodiaks. The Kodiaks ultimately fell 3–1.

ACAC Player of the Game:

LPK: #5 Abigail Leusink 

Jan. 31 MFUT | Kodiaks 3 vs MHC Rattlers 7

The Kodiaks men’s futsal team opened their match against the host Rattlers with a strong start, getting on the board first on a goal from Orien Domin (first year, Bachelor of Nursing, Sparwood, B.C.). The Rattlers answered a minute later to tie the game, then used their experience to take control, scoring four unanswered goals to build a lead by halftime. Cristobal Jacob Pares (Civil Engineering Technology, Nelson, B.C.) provided a spark early in the second half, scoring to cut into the deficit, but the Rattlers responded with two more goals. Pares added his second of the match in the final seven minutes. The Kodiaks held Medicine Hat scoreless the rest of the way but were unable to add another, falling 7–3.

ACAC Player of the Game:

LPK: #21 Cristobal Jacob Pares

Jan. 31 MFUT | Kodiaks 5 vs OC Broncos 2

In the Kodiaks’ second match of the day, they faced the fresh legs of Olds College. The Broncos opened the scoring, but the Kodiaks answered before halftime as Moe Huska (first year, General Arts and Science, Cranbrook, B.C.) scored from distance to tie the game. The Kodiaks came out of the break applying sustained offensive pressure, which led to a corner play and a pass in front of the net for Pares to finish and give the Kodiaks the lead. Olds responded to tie the game at two, but less than two minutes later, Kodiaks captain Jordan Morello (fourth year, Renewable Resource Management, Nelson, B.C.) restored the lead. The Kodiaks continued to press, with Ya Sin Benbrik (first year, Open Studies, Lethbridge) and Robert McKinstry (second year, Business Administration – Management, Lethbridge) adding goals to secure a 5–2 victory. 

ACAC Player of the Game:

LPK: #6 Moe Huska

Feb. 31 MFUT | Kodiaks 4 vs SAIT Trojans 3

The Kodiaks closed out the first South Regional tournament with a matchup against the SAIT Trojans. SAIT jumped out to an early lead, scoring twice in the first half while the Kodiaks were unable to respond. After the break, the Kodiaks found renewed energy, which led to a goal from Domin to get them on the board. The Trojans answered with a goal of their own to restore a measure of safety, but the Kodiaks continued to push as Benbrik was left open in front of the net and worked around the SAIT goalkeeper to cut into the deficit. The Kodiaks earned a close-range free kick that was initially blocked, but the rebound fell to captain Morello, who finished with a one-touch goal to tie the game. With less than a minute remaining, a SAIT player was shown a red card, reducing the Trojans to four players and creating sustained offensive pressure for the Kodiaks. A no-look backward pass from Benbrik set up Huska for the game-winning goal with 30 seconds left, as the Kodiaks secured a 4–3 upset victory over the Trojans.

ACAC Player of the Game:

LPK: #26 Ya Sin Benbrik