One of the greatest sports stories in Atlantic Inter-collegiate athletics was recorded by the Laura Sanders -coached women’s soccer squads that from ’84 to ’94 were either winners of serious challengers for the AUAA crown, actually winning six consecutive Conference titles from 1986 to 1991.
It was, however, during the ’90-’91 academic year that the Axettes gained national distinction, winning for their university its first CIAU women’s soccer title.
Entering the AUAA playoffs ranked no.1 in the country, the Axettes defeated Mt.Allison 1-0 in semi-final action. Playing against St. Mary’s for the Conference title, the Valley-based stars edged their rivals, 1-0, as Marjean Leighton scored the goal and Alison Tuton recorded her fourteenth shutout of the season.
Subsequently at Raymond Field against Sir Wilfrid Laurier in semi-final action for the coveted national title, the Axettes won on the penalty kicks. Tied 1-1 at the end of regulation time -courtesy of a late Cindy Montgomerie goal, the AUAA champs won 5-4 on sudden-death penalty kicks as Dara Moore notched the winner.
For National championship play, the Acadia squad travelled west to meet the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds. On Sunday, November 17th, at the Todd Field in Vancouver the Axettes and Thunderbirds battled through regulation time and two 15 minute overtime sessions before the Axettes won 4-2 on penalty kicks.
Dara Moore registered the winner while Marjean Leighton, Conference all-star, Kryan Pinfold and Cindy Montgomerie, the latter the Conference’s rookie-of-the-year, scored the others.
Defensively, all Canadian net minder and later to be named Acadia’s female athlete of the year, Alison Tuton, was sensational between the posts. On that memorable occasion, Bridget Anakin was named winner of the Baldursson Memorial Award as the game’s MVP. Wendi Wells was voted second team all-Canadian, while Coach Laura Sanders, several times honoured as the AUAA’s top coach, and was named CIAU’s coach-of -the-year.
Others to make monumental contributions to the club that season were assistant coach Janice Cossar , Amber MacNeil, June Saunders, Denise Aucoin, Kim Hill, Marlee MacDonald, Kim MacQuarrie, Cathy McAuley, Andrea Milne, Jodie Silds, Heidi Stayish, Kristin Pinfold, Claire Sarginson, Susan Power, therapists Sheri Cunningham and Nancy Witty and manager Angela Fraser.
What a pleasure it is to welcome for induction to Acadia’s Sports Hall of Fame members of the 1990-91 Acadia Women’s Soccer Team -CIAU champions whose twelve season games scored an amazing 52 goals while allowing only one against them.
