Three Stars: Harper, Popravka, Epp earn honours
MacEwan Athletics
EDMONTON – Women's soccer student-athlete Hannah Harper is the MacEwan Athletics' first star of the week after matching a program record with a four-point game on Saturday vs. Regina.
Harper netted a hat trick and added an assist as it marked the sixth time a Griffins player has recorded a four-point game in a Canada West match.
Men's soccer goalkeeper Oleksandr Popravka and men's hockey goaltender Brett Epp were named the second and third stars, respectively.
All three are appearing for the first time in 2024-25.
Hannah Harper scores on a PK to complete the hat trick against Regina on Saturday. Her performance was the sixth time a Griffins player has recorded four points in a Canada West game (Norman Bo photo).
1st STAR: Hannah Harper, M/F, women's soccer
Edmonton, AB, second-year, Arts
The electric second-year attacking midfielder scored a hat trick and added an assist to match a program record with four points against the Regina Cougars on Saturday.
It's the sixth time a Griffins player has recorded four points in a Canada West match, following Sunder West and Salma Kamel in 2019, and Grace Mwasalla (twice) and Brenna Paquin in 2022.
In leading the Griffins to a 5-0 win over Regina, Harper scored on a 23rd-minute free kick, a 33rd-minute header and converted an 87th penalty kick to complete the hat trick.
She also drew an assist on Paquin's 80th minute strike from distance when she expertly flicked a header backwards in midfield to send her teammate in alone up the right side.
For the season, Harper leads Canada West in scoring with six goals and 11 points in eight games.
The Griffins will host Winnipeg on Saturday (12 p.m.) and Manitoba on Sunday (11 a.m., both Edmonton Scottish, Canada West TV).
Goalkeeper Oleksandr Popravka earned his first career shutout in MacEwan's 4-0 win over Lethbridge on Sunday. Making it even more special? It was his birthday (Norman Bo photo).
2nd STAR: Oleksandr Popravka, GK, men's soccer
Kyiv, Ukraine, first-year, Business Diploma
After the Griffins men's soccer team blanked Lethbridge 4-0 on Sunday, they gathered to sing a raucous chorus of 'Happy Birthday' for their rookie goalkeeper, who recorded his first career shutout on his 32ndbirthday.
It was a special moment for the rock of the team, who has started all 10 matches for the Griffins so far this season.
Over the weekend, including Saturday's 1-0 loss to Saskatchewan, Popravka finished with 10 saves on 11 shots (.909 save percentage).
He stopped three to earn the shutout against Lethbridge, including one of his best all season, laying out to rob Pronghorns all-star Will Hughes, who got all of one from 15 feet away at the end of the first half.
For the season, the Kyiv, Ukraine native has 54 saves (third in Canada West) and boasts a .783 save percentage (fourth in CW).
The Griffins hit the road this weekend for matches at Calgary on Saturday and at Mount Royal on Sunday.
Brett Epp made 38 saves and stopped another two in the shootout to lead MacEwan to a 4-3 win over Mount Royal in preseason action last Saturday (Rebecca Chelmick photo).
3rd STAR: Brett Epp, G, men's hockey
Edmonton, AB, fifth-year, Arts
As the Griffins men's hockey team gets set to open the 2024-25 regular season this weekend with a home-and-home series against cross-town rival Alberta, their new veteran goaltender is in fine form.
Epp, who transferred to MacEwan after previous university stints at Nichols College (NCAA Div. III) and Nipissing (U SPORTS) and has one season of eligibility left, led the Griffins to a 4-3 shootout win over Mount Royal in preseason action last Saturday.
The Griffins were outshot 41-19 in the contest, but Epp made 38 saves and stopped another two in the shootout as MacEwan rallied for a victory over the team that eliminated them from the playoffs last season.
Epp and the Griffins will host Alberta in their home opener on Friday (7 p.m., Downtown Community Arena) before crossing the river for the rematch on Saturday (7 p.m., Clare Drake Arena, both Canada West TV).
