WSOC: Broncos ready for pair of key matchups

With the calendar turning, the Olds College Broncos women's soccer team finds itself in a pair of pivotal matchups to wrap up the first half of the regular season, first facing off with the Red Deer Polytechnic Queens at Richardson Pioneer Field on Saturday.

The Broncos (2-1-1) are looking to win their third straight match, and will be looking for a solid showing headed into a Sunday tilt in Camrose with the University of Alberta-Augustana Vikings (3-2-0), who currently hold the final ACAC South playoff spot, though the Broncos have a game in hand.

Second-year forward Tiona Paton is tied for second in the ACAC with eight goals, including seven in her last two matches, while Mirtalem Vriend scored her first two career ACAC goals in last Saturday's 6-0 win over Ambrose University. Meanwhile, rookie keeper Kaia Galuska picked up her first ACAC clean sheet while posting the ACAC's second-best save percentage at .882.

On the other side of the ball, the biggest offensive threat for the Queens is Sein Furuyama, as the Kobe, Japan native has 16 goals in five games, including a pair of six-goal outings, to help propel the Queens to a 4-1-0 record and second place in the ACAC South. Complementing Furuyama up front is Corbynn Fujimoto, who is tied with Paton at eight goals for the season to date.

Upon arrival in Camrose, the Broncos will have to contend with a balanced Vikings attack that has seen nine different players register at least one goal, led by Maya Pardeahtan's three tallies. Augustana split its past weekend of home games, falling 2-0 to Lethbridge College on Saturday before defeating Medicine Hat College 1-0 on Sunday.

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