Top-ranked Bobcat women chase first futsal title
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 14/03/2025 (188 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
As high as the Brandon University women’s soccer program has climbed, there’s one mountain it hasn’t summited.
The two-time defending Manitoba Colleges Athletic Conference champions have yet to claim a futsal title but hope to change as the final four begins today at Assiniboine College.
The Bobcats enter the weekend as the No. 1 seed after going 6-1-1 in the regular season. They face the host Cougars in their post-season debut today at 3 p.m.
Brandon University’s Kenadie Janzen was named to the MCAC women’s futsal all-conference team on Thursday, ahead of today’s semifinals at Assiniboine College. The Bobcats play the host Cougars at 3 p.m. (Thomas Friesen/The Brandon Sun)
“Maintaining number one was important to us. Our goal is to bring back the last banner, which would be nice because we haven’t been able to accomplish that,” said Bobcats veteran Keashae Masters.
“It’s somewhat at home, we still are in the community, so hopefully we can get families out and get the crowd out to give us the energy we need.”
While the Bobcats won the first meeting 9-3 over the Cougars and took the second 11-3, Masters expects a tough test from the crosstown rivals, who have the player of the year in Kiyanna Arevalo.
“They are a shooting team, I would say. We can never underestimate them,” Masters said.
“They made the playoffs, so we have to go in like any other game and treat them like any other competition. They’ve won and they currently have the coach of the year in futsal (Manuel Luben) so it’s important. We have to take every game serious.”
Brandon split the season series against the No. 2 seed St. Boniface Les Rouges, who have won the last bunch of futsal titles. USB lost a critical one to AC, however, falling to 6-2-0. It faces Providence in the last match of the day at 5 p.m.
The Bobcats drew the Pilots 4-4, then beat them 8-7 in the last game of the regular season.
So either final, should they make it, should be close.
While the Bobcats have dominated on the outdoor pitch, they’re still finding their way in the five-on-five indoor game, played in gymnasiums.
“It is very different,” Masters said. “It’s just knowing how to gel together because you don’t normally play with some players in the 11 all the time.
“Since futsal’s smaller, it gives us the chance to bond on a different level on the court.”
The final is on Sunday at 2 p.m.
BU MEN FACE TOUGH TEST
The Bobcats fell one game shy of a soccer title defence in 2024.
Now, they have to be the first Manitoban team to beat Les Rouges today at 11 a.m., or their season is over.
“It’s always a tough game,” said Bobcats import Victor Andrade. “Since I got here, we are always the teams in the finals, semifinals we face each other.”
Matheus Ruffini of the BU men’s futsal team made the all-conference squad. The Bobcats face the top-seed St. Boniface Les Rouges today at 11 a.m. (Thomas Friesen/The Brandon Sun)
Andrade initially planned to sit out the futsal season and rehab an injured knee but opted to play at the last minute and has stayed on the court.
“I was anxious to come back because every athlete wants to play,” he said. “I put in so much work on a good recovery and came back to actually stay and play. I’m glad I was able to come back and help my team as well.”
Brandon started slowly with three losses and a 4-4 draw against Assiniboine in the first half.
It added a pair of 2-2 ties with the top two teams, Canadian Mennonite University and USB, then beat Providence for its only win of the regular season on the last day.
However, a 2-1 loss to the Cougars left the Bobcats biting their nails as the Blazers edged the Pilots 6-5 to keep Providence out.
Andrade and the Bobcats are leaning on the fact they were the only team to collect a point against Les Rouges.
“Our first weekend was really bad against them but our second game was 2-2 in a game they tied in the last 20 seconds. I see improvement from our team throughout the season and I feel we as a group are feeling pretty confident to beat them,” Andrade said.
“I see the leaders in this group trying to keep up the discipline, the good level of play and everything. (Matheus) Ruffini, Nathan (Chubaty) and (Matheus) Souza, those guys are really keeping up the discipline … and the other guys are motivated by it for sure.”
The Blazers and Cougars meet in the other semifinal at 1 p.m.
Assiniboine clinched its spot by beating Brandon on the final day.
The men’s final is on Sunday at noon.
» tfriesen@brandonsun.com
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