Despite loss, Trojans feel like they're headed in the right direction

November 11, 2018

RED DEER, ALTA., (Nov. 10, 2018) — Rome wasn't built in a day.

After a players-only meeting, the SAIT Trojans came together to play a solid game Saturday night, but still fell 4-2 to the host Red Deer College Queens in their Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) contest played in Red Deer, Alta.

"Even though we didn't win, it feels like this game was a huge step forward for us," said Trojans senior assistant coach Colleen Smereka, filling in Saturday for an absent head coach Kelsey Leifson. "The attitude was different, the buy-in was different. We need to see that more if we want to turn this thing around."

The Trojans fall to 1-9 on the season. Red Deer College improves to 4-4.

SAIT spotted the Queens a 2-0 lead when Kirsten Baumgardt and Mary Hirsch each scored to put the home team up.

The Trojans cut the lead in half late in the first when defenseman Paige Halderman (1^st year, Calgary, Academic Upgrading scored.

Red Deer restored their two-goal lead early on in the second period when Veronika Bucifalova beat Trojans goalie Elisha Oswald (3^rd year, Waldersee, Man., Health Information Management).

Kelsey Patterson (1^st year, Castlegar, BC, Civil Engineering Technology) then scored to bring the Trojans within one again to close out the period.

In the final frame, Red Deer's Kaely McMurtry scored her fourth goal of the weekend to pull away from the Trojans for good.

"Despite being down early, we stayed positive and did not quit, and the coaching staff is proud of them for that," Smereka stated. "If we can continue to play that way, we're going to find success more often than not."

-30-