Capers undefeated after opening weekend

CBU men and women down Moncton on Sunday

Cape Breton’s two soccer teams are undefeated after the opening weekend of play in the 2018 university soccer season.

The Deano Morley-coached men’s squad won a closely contested 4-2 match over the visiting Université de Moncton Aigles Bleues on Sunday afternoon following a season-opening 1-1 draw with the University of New Brunswick Reds on Saturday.

Capers captain Stuart Heath led the offence with a pair of goals, while single tallies went to third-year forward Cory Bent and fourth-year defender Daniel Pritchard.

Moncton, which opened the scoring in the fourth minute of play, received goals from Jean-Michel Dako and Youssouf Diabate.

The CBU men outshot Moncton 21-8, while directing eight shots on Aigles Bleues goalie Andre Leblanc as opposed to the four shots the visitors managed on Capers keeper Ben Jackson.

On Saturday, the Capers appeared

to be headed for opening day victory as they nursed a 1-0 lead, courtesy of a Daniel Williams goal, into the dying minutes

of the game. However, UNB struck in the 86th minute on a goal by Alex O’Brien.

Each side managed just five shots on net.

In women’s play, the Capers defeated Moncton 4-1 on Sunday to follow up Saturday’s 2-1 win over UNB.

Madison Goodliffe and Amelia Carlini each scored twice to lead the CBU women, while Erin Freeman, Rachel Leck and Ciera Disipio chipped in with two assists apiece.

Rachel Yerxa stopped three of the four shots Moncton directed on net, while the Capers blasted 15 shots on the goal of busy Aigles Bleues eeper Dominique Leblanc.

On Saturday, Leck scored both goals in the Capers 2-1 win over the Reds.

Both Capers teams are back in action later this week when they hit the pitch on Friday evening in Antigonish against St. Francis Xavier. They then travel to Charlottetown to take on the University of Prince Edward Island Panthers on Sunday afternoon.

The Capers next home matches are on Sept. 22 when they play host to UPEI.

DAVID JALA/CAPE BRETON POST CBU striker Cory Bent managed to keep control of the ball despite finding himself in the clutches of Unviersité de Moncton defender Gershome Mambo during Sunday’s match between the defending national champion Capers and the Aigles Bleues. Bent scored one goal and assisted on another as the hometown Capers defeated Moncton 4-2. In women’s play, the CBU squad ran off with a 4-1 win over their Moncton rivals.