The UNB Varsity Reds women's soccer team finished off an incredible regular season with a 4-2 win over the Saint Mary's Huskies at home.
The V-Reds came out in pink shirts and socks in support of breast cancer research and from minute one, it was clear that they were ready to play. Samantha Lagacy got UNB on the board first, with a beautiful goal around minute 28.
Lagacy, who is one of eight graduating players from UNB, also scored the second goal for the V-Reds with a header off a corner kick from Erin Bethune at the 42nd minute.
The Varsity Reds kept the momentum going in the second half, and Kayla Painter found the net for goal number three.
Just five minutes later, UNB would find themselves up 4-0 when Courtney Strba got a cross off a free kick from Painter. It's Strba's first goal this season.
Saint Mary's answered back with a clean shot at minute 73. Lindsay Millet had the goal - her fourth of the season.
The Huskies' second goal of the night and the last of the game came at 78:08 when a header from Sophie Langille brought the score to 4-2.
The Varsity Reds end the season with a 10-1-2 record and will head to the AUS Championship with a first place bye and ranked 10th in the country by the CIS. UNB head coach Jonathan Crossland says it's a culmination of years of hard work.
"To get rewards you have to put a lot of work in, and the girls have done that over the past few years," he said. "We've had the same core group over the past three years and there's eight of them who are going to graduate and potentially move on here, so it's awesome for them to have the opportunity to finish first and be one of the best women's teams in UNB soccer history."
Looking towards next weekend's playoffs, Crossland says it's all a matter of fine-tuning.
"We'll focus some more on the defensive work. We've given up a few too many goals that we'd like to not have given up, but we always found a way to score one more," he said. "So just tidy that up and go from there. Keep the girls feeling good and the energy high, and there's no reason not to feel confident going into next weekend."
Lagacy, who was named player of the game, says she couldn't be happier with her last game on BMO Field.
"All the girls came together and we played a really great game," she said.
When it comes to the growth of the team over her five years playing as a V-Red, Lagacy says it's been remarkable.
"There are some girls that when I was in my third year, they were in their first, and it's unreal the changes in them," she said. "This year everyone is trying to play with each other instead of playing by themselves out there on the field."
The Varsity Reds play next on Saturday, November 1, at the AUS Championship in Halifax.
