SOCCER EXHIBITION
Cape Breton Capers conclude exhibition play with win over Maine Fort Kent Bengals
The Cape Breton University Capers beat Fort Kent in preseason play.
The Cape Breton Capers men’s soccer team wrapped up the preseason Monday by defeating the Maine Fort Kent Bengals 3-0 at the Cape Breton Health Recreation Complex.
The game was CBU’s second tune-up contest of the month ahead of the club’s regular season home opener against the New Brunswick Reds on Saturday.
Although the game didn’t mean anything in the standings, Capers head coach Deano Morley believes the focus of the contest was to allow his team to touch the ball.
“The game was very positive for me, I got to see every one of my players play,” said Morley.
“The main goal was just giving the players minutes and getting them playing together and being together and I think that’s important in the early stage of the season.”
After a scoreless opening half, the Capers got on the board in the 48th minute with Marcus Campanile finding the back of the net.
Cape Breton, who enters the 2018 season as the defending national champions, took a 2-0 lead less than 10 minutes later with Caelann Budhoo’s goal in the 56th minute of play. Mitchell Wong added an insurance goal in the 83rd minute.
Ben Jackson picked up the shutout between the pipes for the Capers. Glenroy Osbourne was tagged with the loss, allowing three goals on six shots.
“This is where we want to be at this time of the year,” said Morley. “I’ve always believed that everything is a process, so (the preseason) is one bit of the process – we’ll take things one step at a time.”
On Saturday, the Capers were blanked 1-0 by the St. Francis Xavier X-Men in Guysborough. Statistics were not available.
Meanwhile, in women’s preseason action on Saturday, Cape Breton defeated the XWomen, 3-1.
Chantal Caron, Madison Lavers and Erin Freeman each tallied goals for the Capers. Amy Rowe had the lone goal for the X-women.
Keeper information was not available.
The Capers will open the 2018 Atlantic University Sport regular season on Saturday when they host the Reds. The women will take the field at 1 p.m., followed by the men at 3:15 p.m.