Rookie midfielder brings confidence, ‘attacking mentality’ to Huskies
Megan Ripplinger is already performing up to her potential just two games into the season.
The University of Saskatchewan Huskies midfielder had a debut to remember this past weekend when she scored three goals and added two assists in Canada West women’s soccer games against the University of Winnipeg Wesmen and University of Manitoba Bisons.
Not only did she earn Canada West first-star status for the week, she was also named a U Sport athlete of the week, nationally.
“It’s a big honour,” said Ripplinger, a Regina native. “It’s a hard league to be in and there’s a
It’s a big honour. It’s a hard league to be in and there’s a lot of deserving players, so I was surprised . ... It was just a matter of finishing what my teammates started.
lot of deserving players, so I was surprised. It was a lot of hard work ... It was just a matter of finishing what my teammates started.”
The Huskies play their homeopener Saturday against the Thompson Rivers WolfPack followed by a game Sunday against the UBC-Okanagan Heat. Both games are at noon on Field 7 behind Griffiths Stadium in PotashCorp Park.
U of S women’s soccer head coach Jerson Barandica-Hamilton says he likes Ripplinger’s “attacking mentality” — her mindset to want to drive to defenders and put them under pressure.
“She can finish,” he said. “She can score goals. Her work rate is what we’ve been working on, off the ball, defensively. And it’s gotten much better and that makes her a complete player.”
In the Huskies’ 3-2 win over Winnipeg, Ripplinger scored in the 84th and 85th minutes. She also assisted on the Huskies’ first goal.
The next day against the Bisons, she scored the Huskies’ first goal in the 52nd minute and assisted on the second Huskies goal in the 88th minute.
“Her movement off the ball was perfect timing,” said Barandica-Hamilton. “She was very active-minded, not scared to run at opponents and, as a first-year, that’s a big thing. Usually, you see that in third- or fourth-years that have a little bit of confidence and know the league. What I like about our rookies, second- and third-years is they have that little bit of freedom, that little bit of energy to attack and those are game-changers. That’s why we’re so excited as a coaching staff. If we can find that with our senior players, it makes magic.”
Ripplinger, a Regina Football Club product, is one of 10 rookies on the Huskies’ roster, which also includes 19 holdovers after graduating Meagan Manson and Erica Hindmarsh.
“She’s definitely a top recruit, but, to be honest, all the players we bring in we know they have the quality and it’s talent and potential, right?” added Barandica-Hamilton. “The moment when potential becomes talent is when you consistently do it. You always hope they do it but you never know how it’s actually going to go. You see it training and you see it in glimpses and you know it they can do it, but it’s a different thing to do it in training than do it in a game.
“But we do hope. (Megan) came on and performed. She played to her strengths. She’s a fast player who’s creative. Our teammates did well in finding her in those positions to allow her to bring her skillset to play.”
For her part, Ripplinger says things are going well. She’s having fun with her new team. It’s like a big family, she says.
“We’re all getting closer at this point of the season,” said Ripplinger. “It’s just been going good so far.”
And why the Saskatoon-based Huskies and not the University of Regina Cougars in her hometown?
“I guess it was just that attacking mentality was the biggest thing, the style of play,” replied Ripplinger. “They love to go forward and I think that’s my main quality that I enjoy.
“That’s the main reason why I picked the Huskies.”