Lakeland Rustlers Weekend Recap - Sept 11, 2023

The Lakeland Rustlers 2023/2024 ACAC season is now in full swing, with almost every Rustlers team getting into some form of league or exhibition play.

First, the Rustlers soccer squads had their first league weekend, with a road tilt in Edmonton on Saturday and the home opener on Sunday. This was the debut for new women's coach Doyle Church.

During the first afternoon, both teams fell by a two-goal deficit to the NAIT Ooks, 2-0 for the women and 3-1 for the men. On Sunday afternoon, the women had an unfortunate first outing at VLA Fields, losing 9-0 to the North Division's top team Concordia, while the men bounced back to beat the Thunder 6-2. Third year Nathan Tran had a hattrick in that contest, while Yassin Hassen and Gavin Quinlan each had multi-point games as well.

Lakeland volleyball had a relaxed, but busy weekend, with alumni in town for both squads. From Friday to Sunday, Rustlers graduates faced off against the current regime and both teams also held their first intrasquad matches. Among those who returned were members of the 2017 women's national title squad, including Ahnika Kuse, Laura Popplestone and Brooklyn Boehm.

Women's hockey had several exhibition games over the weekend against some stiff competition in Edmonton. Friday night, they faced off with the University of Alberta Pandas, losing 4-0 in that contest, before pulling off a 4-3 victory of the Grant MacEwan Griffins. Then on Sunday, they remained on the road to play the Edmonton Wolves hockey club, winning 3-2.

This weekend Rustlers women's basketball began their first stage of the journey to hosting Nationals in March. They played in several exhibition games at the University of Calgary. Men's basketball has their first non-intrasquad game play this weekend when they go to scrimmage against the University of Saskatchewan.

Women's volleyball are also on the road this weekend, as they will compete against Grant MacEwan University Friday and Saturday.

Hockey will host Medicine Hat College at home for two games this weekend, as well as another exhibition contest the Cochrane Chaos hockey club.

And both soccer teams are back in Edmonton this Saturday, where they will face the King's Eagles. This is an important matchup for both teams as they try to climb the standings. Kickoff is at 12:00 PM for the women's game.