2024 Soccer Season Recap
Women's Soccer
It all started on September 7, 2024 when soon to be ACAC/CCAA Athlete of the Week, Kalli Pilon, slid a ball neatly through the Lethbridge Polytechnic defence where Lindsay Hesjedal was waiting. Hesjedal found the back of the goal - the first goal for Ambrose Lions Women’s Soccer in a home-opener in history.
That single moment represented the beginning of the team’s 2024 campaign to become the highest scoring Lions Women’s Soccer Team in the universities short ACAC history, a goal they achieved on October 19 in Red Deer, AB. In the 89th minute, Lions’ standout, Anna Langill, netted her third goal of the year, to statistically push our Lady Lions to the new goal tally record.
With a goal per game average, the highest shot percentage in the ACAC, wins and ties both home and away, most points by a Lion’s Women’s Team in the past five seasons, an ACAC/CCAA Athlete of the Week, and the largest single season drop in goals against ever, they still aren’t done progressing as a group.
Off-Season training, international student-athletes far from home caring and being cared for, full training camp regimen, a sugar-free week (partially), new sisters joining the fold, a smile for a walk-on or two, a concussion, a bad knee, an eye patch, and gummy bear half-time appearances. Together they moved a school’s team to become a university’s varsity “program’.
There is now, no going back – TWO STEPS FORWARD, NO STEPS BACK.
Here is why - Tovell, Krahn, Flamont, Stockman, Pilon, Kilgore, Hesjedal, Jovin, Najeeb, Mysko & Mysko, Villamor, Wilde, Whitt, Souvairan, Himmelreich, Maczuga, Langill, Fiwchuck, and Nichol.
The scoreboard is not the metric that has been used by this group to define themselves. However, it has been the scoreboard that lends the added excitement to this beautiful game that we all love. As was highlighted by the ACAC, the following game ending recap gives the feel of every game that these Ambrose Women Lions played. In a way, it represents the building of this program.
The dying seconds of the Ambrose Lions vs Medicine Hat Rattlers Women’s Soccer game was the perfect canvas for an ACAC memorable moment.
With time for one last touch Kalli Pilon got on to the end of a pass from Ambrose’s first goal scorer Anna Langill. With the crowd beckoning for an immediate attempt at goal, Pilon decided instead to exercise a little poise and patience, perhaps, remembering the rough and tough attention that she had been afforded at the hands of the Rattlers throughout the game. Slicing deeper into the box Pilon netted Ambrose the last second winner that drove the fans to their feet and her coach to his knees.
Season Summary
Record: 2-8-2 (8 points)
Goals For: 12
Goals Against: 34
Goals: Lindsay Hesjedal – 4
Assists: Elisa Wilde – 3
Saves: Nora Mysko – 120 - 2nd in ACAC
Men's Soccer
This past fall has been a season of transition and growth for the Ambrose Men’s soccer team, a squad catalyzed with 12 new players added to the program.
The freshman class brought in a lot of energy and excitement for the season, signifying a changing of the guard and a new era for our men’s program. With the graduation and departure of 10 players, including many of the previous starting line up, key leaders, and notably our captain, this was a new look for the Lions.
Josh Clarke was named team captain, becoming the fifth captain in our outdoor program’s history. This role was one the second year forward stepped into masterfully. Alongside Clarke, the program was blessed to have a few experienced transfer players competing in under the Ambrose name, and brought their experience from other CCAA and USport programs. Each of these additions made an immediate impact on performance, team culture and raised the standards on and off the field.
There were a lot of positives to take away from this season, including moment’s that showed the promise of what this team is capable of. It was nothing short of incredible to see what this team is building towards for the seasons to come. The team finished the season with four points, and 13 goals scored - a new season best.
Clarke led the team with six goals, becoming the program’s new single season goal scoring leader, also securing him in the top 7 in the ACAC. This performance allowed him to surpass Brady de Castro (2023-24) and Matthew Wideman (2018-19) in the Ambrose record books, each of which scored four goals in a single season, respectively. Clark and de Castro are currently joint goal leaders in Ambrose program history with seven.
De Castro added three goals to his impressive tally this season and added an additional assist which puts him at five for his career total. The young midfielder finds himself as the overall Ambrose University points leader in ACAC history, with 19 points.
Evan Kaake joined the Lions this year as the lone netminder, making 62 saves across 10 games this season, which put him in 3rd overall for the ACAC, playing all 900 minutes.
This was the strongest recruiting class to date. The standard continues to be raised year over year, and this year was no exception.
“Our new players made an immediate impact. This was by far the most talented group of players we’ve had in our program to date,” says Head Coach Adam Monkman. “They are a young group of talented and dedicated players that we’re excited to build our program on. The future is bright for this group.”
The Lions are looking to build on this past year as they look for more success next outdoor season.
Season Summary
Record: 1-8-1 (4 points)
Goals For: 13
Goals Against: 37
Goals: Josh Clarke – 6 - 7th in ACAC
Assists: Gabriel Mejia – 2
Saves: Evan Kaake – 62 - 3rd in ACAC