WINNIPEG - The Fraser Valley Cascades tied with the Manitoba Bisons after a hard-fought game at the West Turf Fields on Saturday, September 15.

With two goals in the last ten minutes of play, the physical match ended without a winner. The Bisons came out playing aggressively on offense and defense. Midfielder Bruna Mavignier put pressure on the ball playing a deep defense and forcing the Cascades to play around her. At the 15-minute mark, Fraser Valley forward, Jashan Sandhar dribbled the ball down the corner line with speed and sent a pass to teammate Britanny Zacharuk who buried the ball in the Bisons' net.
 
Minutes later forward, Nicole Davis almost tied up the game for the Bisons after Mackie Burdney sent a cross-field pass to Davis who missed the net by inches. Davis continued to fight hard. At the 44-minute mark, Holly Angus passed directly to Davis in front of the net, who scored off a header making the game 1-1 going into the second half. 
 
"I never want to let my team down so I go as hard as I can," said Davis. "Mentally you have to push yourself."
 
In the second half, Fraser Valley's Britney Zacharuck dribbled the ball deep into the left corner, dribbling past Bison defenders and passing to teammate Sarah Parker who just missed a header into the right side of the net. Soon after, Manitoba's Mackie Burdeny dribbled the ball down the side, cutting into the centre and passing to forward Bruna Mavignier who shot the ball into the Cascade goalie's hands.
 
Fraser Valley got their chance at taking the lead at the 81-minute mark with a free kick from Zacharuck that soared just over the left corner of the net. Minutes later from the same corner, midfielder Harneet Dadrao connected with Tripat Sandhu to score a header and take the lead. 
 
Fraser Valley's lead was short lived, though, when minutes later Bisons midfielder Amanda Wong scored off a penalty shot. The penalty shot was awarded after forward Nicole Davis fought down the field on a breakaway only to be taken down by the Cascades' goalie Joven Sandhu.
 
Fraser Valley head coach, Rob Giesbrecht, said the team is extremely emotional after the game. 
 
"I thought we were the better team tonight," said Giesbrecht. "We could have done more to get that third goal."
 
Fraser Valley now sits at 0-2-2 while the Bisons record is 1-1-2.

Manitoba will now look forward to playing another home series next weekend, with the Lethbridge Pronghorns in on Saturday, September 22 and the Calgary Dinos on Sunday, September 23. Fraser Valley, meanwhile, returns home to play UNBC and MacEwan next weekend.