Three Stars: Mwasalla, Yildiz, Ricker earn honours
MacEwan Athletics
EDMONTON – Women's soccer student-athlete Grace Mwasalla is the MacEwan Athletics' first star of the week after her performance in leading the Griffins to a division-clinching victory over Calgary on Sunday.
Mwasalla produced the game-winning goal, added an assist and also made a key defensive stop to help set up the Griffins' other tally in a 3-0 win over the Dinos.
Other athletes recognized this week include second star Ali Yildiz of men's soccer and third star Chantal Ricker of the women's hockey team.
It's the second appearance of the season in the three stars for Mwasalla, who was named second star on Oct. 19, while both Yildiz and Ricker are being honoured for the first time in 2021-22.
1st STAR: Grace Mwasalla, F/M, women's soccer
Chatham, ON, first-year, Arts
Making her second-consecutive appearance on the MacEwan Athletics' three stars list, Mwasalla bumps up a spot to No. 1 this week after a clutch game for the ages on Sunday.
Playing more like a fifth-year veteran than a first-year rookie, the tenacious Calgary Blizzard product produced a goal and an assist as the Griffins beat the Calgary Dinos 3-0 to secure first place in the Canada West's Central Division.
Mwasalla's goal in the 8th minute stood up as the game-winner as the Griffins finished 10-2-0 on the season – their best record ever achieved as a Canada West program.
She also made a key defensive stop that led to the ball going back upfield to Raeghan McCarthy for the Griffins' second goal, the insurance marker in the contest.
Mwasalla finished the season with eight points in 12 games, which ties the program's rookie record with by Isabelle Dobbin and Meagan Lemoine, who produced that in 2015.
The Griffins will host UFV in a Canada West quarter-final match on Saturday (1 p.m., Clarke Stadium, Canada West TV presented by Co-op).
Ali Yildiz, seen in action against Alberta earlier this season, set up both goals in a pair of 1-0 wins by the Griffins over Calgary on the weekend that punched their playoff ticket (Robert Antoniuk photo).
2nd STAR: Ali Yildiz, M, men's soccer
Edmonton, AB, first-year, Arts
The young forward finished his Canada West rookie season on a tear, setting up both goals in a pair of 1-0 weekend wins over Calgary.
In both cases, the ball was played over the top to the FC Edmonton product, who beat a defender to send in passes that were put home for the winning goals.
Stefan Gajic was on the receiving end of Yildiz's pass in Saturday's 1-0 win and Rakan Yassin got his boot on one Sunday as the Griffins booked the program's first-ever Canada West playoff spot.
Yildiz finished his rookie campaign with three points in 10 games as he helped the Griffins post the best record (4-4-2) the program has had since entering Canada West in 2014.
Yildiz and the Griffins – the No. 4 seed in the Central Division – will visit West No. 1 Victoria (6-3-3) in a Canada West quarter-final match on Saturday on the Island (7 p.m. MT, Canada West TV presented by Co-op).
Chantal Ricker has now scored in consecutive weekends for the Griffins and leads the team in points with three in four games (Eduardo Perez photo).
3rd STAR: Chantal Ricker, F, women's hockey
Calgary, AB, fifth-year, Arts
A regular on the MacEwan Athletics Three Stars list over her illustrious five-year career with the Griffins, Ricker makes her first appearance of 2021-22 after her performance against Calgary on the weekend.
The Griffins' leading scorer with three points in four games scored her second of the season in Saturday's 3-1 loss to the Dinos, redirecting home a point shot by Kyrelle Skoye.
Ricker's play has been leading the Griffins all season as she also scored a big goal in the team's first-ever Canada West win over Regina on Oct. 16.
The former ACAC MVP will lead MacEwan (1-3-0) into a home doubleheader vs. UBC (3-1-0) on Friday (7 p.m.) and Saturday (2 p.m., both Downtown Community Arena, Canada West TV presented by Co-op).
