This Saturday, the Lethbridge Polytechnic Kodiaks will start the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference soccer season on the road at Ambrose University.
The men’s soccer team has enjoyed a stellar pre-season, beginning with a strong performance against the Lakeland Rustlers. They then travelled north to face The Kings University Eagles, Portage College Voyageurs and NAIT Ooks, finishing with a record of two wins and two ties.
“We’ve got a solid group of guys. This is as good a group of guys I’ve had together since 2019, the last championship the Kodiaks won. I think if we can (get) them all rolling in the same direction, we’re going to be very, very tough to stop this year. I feel like we’ve already gelled. They already had some adversity in pre-season exhibition games, going down a goal against NAIT, and instead of feeling sorry for themselves, they brushed themselves off and came back to tie the game, and we had some chances to win it. So that’s the big thing this year, different attitudes,” say Head Coach Sean Carey
The women’s soccer team has made impressive strides, as they explore different lineups. On their northern tour, they earned a solid tie against The Kings University Eagles before facing a close contest against the NAIT Ooks. Despite a narrow loss to the Ooks, the team’s performance demonstrated their adaptability and promise, setting the stage for an exciting season ahead.
“If we play to our full potential and we avoid injuries to key players, I think we can make a big mark this year, considering it’s pretty much a new team. Obviously, our expectations every time at Lethbridge Polytechnic now is to make the finals, and once you get to the dancing from there, anything can happen. Coming off a historic regular season last year, I think we just have to remind them it takes a good team and they’re a good team. We might have lost a lot of skill from last year, but we didn’t lose any heart,” adds Carey.
On Sunday, Lethbridge Polytechnic Kodiaks will host their first home game on Servus Centre Outdoor Field against the SAIT Trojans. The women’s game kicks off at noon, followed by the men’s match at 2 p.m. There will be a barbecue for fans attending Sunday’s games hosted by the Kodiaks Association.
