WINNIPEG, MB - Down an early goal to Prairie Division leader Calgary Dinos, it looked bad for the Manitoba Bisons women's soccer team on Friday, October 10 at the University of Manitoba Turf Fields.

Thanks to a united front and scrambling defence in the following 87 minutes, though, they were able to eke out a point, tying the Calgary Dinos 1-1.

The tie moves Manitoba to 3-4-2, while Calgary falls to 6-1-4, but hangs on to top spot in the Canada West Prairies Division. With three games left, the Bisons are four points back of Alberta for the final playoff spot in the division.

Manitoba's goal came from Selina Speranza, who was assisted by Megan Graca. Calgary got their goal in the early moments off the foot of Jordan Smith, her fourth of the season. She was assisted by Maddison Fritze and Kayla Kreutzer.

"I am really proud of my team, they showed amazing intensity, amazing will to do well in this game," said Bisons head coach Vanessa Martinez Lagunas. "We showed great possession… and I want that to be the style of the Bisons women's soccer team."

"Slowly but surely, the girls are adopting this style of play and it's looking very good."

For a second straight game, things took a turn for the worse for Manitoba in the opening moments. Three minutes in, Fritze grabbed a misplayed ball on the sideline and booted it up for Smith, who launched a rocket from the edge of the box to put the Dinos up 1-0.

Bolstered by a game plan of simple, opportunistic soccer, though, the Bisons played the rest of the first half with the ball on their feet. Looking the stronger team, they capitalized at the 13-minute mark, when the speedy Speranza got a ball from Graca in stride, then surprised everyone by putting in a tough-angle shot from the left sideline.

In the second half, it was a barrage by Calgary - but Manitoba managed to come together as a team to ward off every corner kick, with each one seemingly more dramatic as time dwindled down. The last line, Martina Arrans in goal, made two great saves in the half, and Lagunas was quick to compliment her and the anchors of her defence.

"Marty did an incredible job tonight, but Sarah Haiko also won everything in the air. Both of them, the back four, the whole team really did an amazing defensive job."

The Bisons women's soccer team close their home schedule tomorrow night, Saturday, October 11th at the University of Manitoba Turf Fields vs. Calgary. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. CST.

Written by: John Gaudes