Slow Start Costs Voyageurs in Hard-Fought Contest
LAC LA BICHE – In the 2011 movie The Grey, Liam Neeson and a steadily-decreasing number of others battle a hungry pack of wolves in the Alaskan wilderness after their plane crashes. Eleven years later, on Saturday October 1, 2022, the Portage College Voyageurs Men's Soccer Team was in a similar predicament. A hungry pack of Northwestern Polytechnic Wolves were invading the soccer field at the Bold Center and the squad had to find a way to stop them. The result? More injuries to an already depleted lineup but also one of the best and most entertaining games of the year. In a game that came down to the wire, the Wolves pulled out a hard-earned 4-3 victory in front of a boisterous and engaged crowd.
"It was a good game," said Voyageurs' Head Coach Kika Mukuninwa. "The only disappointment is that we started slow. I think they scored within the first two minutes but we battled back for sure and it was a good game to watch. No complaints really."
Kohen Meckelborg scored two goals and was named Player of the Game for the Wolves, who led 2-0 eight minutes into the game and 3-2 at half. Tata Mugisha played a strong game for Portage and was named Player of the Game for the Voyageurs, who tied the game at three in the 66th minute on a beautiful effort from Fiston Kiese. Joshua Richardson potted the eventual game winner five minutes later for the Wolves, who then hung on to the bitter end.
The Voyageurs won't have to wait long for another crack at their Northwestern brethren. The two teams go at it again on Sunday at 2 p.m. in a game that Mukuninwa is confident his team can win if they clean up some defensive miscues.
"Anytime you score three goals in a game you give yourselves a chance to win," he said. "So now it's about tidying things up in the back end and starting stronger…I think as a young team it's learning how to win so we're getting better at that but definitely tomorrow will be another good game against them."