Three Stars: McCarthy, Fayia, Henderson earn honours
MacEwan Athletics
EDMONTON – Women's soccer student-athlete Raeghan McCarthy is the MacEwan Athletics' first star of the week after scoring two goals in the Griffins' four-point weekend against Mount Royal and Calgary.
McCarthy scored the game-winner to spike previously undefeated MRU on Saturday before netting a crucial second-half goal against Calgary that helped the Griffins earn a 3-3 tie.
Men's soccer fullback T-boy Fayia and women's soccer forward Alyx Henderson are the second and third stars of the week, respectively.
It's the second appearance on the Three Stars list for both McCarthy (who was previously first star on Sept. 2) and Fayia (who was previously first star on Sept. 9).
Henderson is making the list for the first time in 2025-26.
Raeghan McCarthy scored against Calgary on Sunday for her fifth goal of the 2025-26 campaign (Norman Bo photo).
1st STAR: Raeghan McCarthy, M, women's soccer
Edmonton, AB, fifth-year, Arts
It was another clutch weekend for the veteran midfielder as she scored twice to reach five goals in eight games so far this season. That's tied for third in Canada West.
In Saturday's 3-2 win over the previously unbeaten Mount Royal Cougars, McCarthy stepped up to break the draw with a goal of the year candidate, volleying it in from distance in the 84th minute for the 10th game-winner of her illustrious career.
That moves her into a five-way tie for ninth in conference history.
McCarthy scored another clutch goal in Sunday's 3-3 draw with the unbeaten, nationally-ranked Calgary Dinos, getting on the end of an Alyx Henderson pass and scoring MacEwan's second in the 61st minute.
That would have stood up as her program record-tying 11th game winner if the Griffins could have hung on as they were up 2-1 at that point, but it wasn't to be.
McCarthy finished the weekend with six shots, four on goal and is now second in the conference in shots (27) and tied for sixth in shots on goal (15).
She will lead the Griffins into road action at Saskatchewan on Saturday (2 p.m. MT) and Regina on Sunday (12 p.m. MT, both Canada West TV).
T-boy Fayia was MacEwan's best player in 180 minutes of action over two home games against Thompson Rivers (above) and UBC Okanagan (Husain Dhooma photo).
2nd STAR: T-boy Fayia, D, men's soccer
Edmonton, AB, third-year, Arts
The third-year fullback, who is among the best two-way soccer players in Canada West, had two more strong games for the Griffins in home matches against Thompson Rivers and UBC Okanagan over the weekend.
Fayia was not only a lockdown defender out wide for the Griffins, he consistently got up in the attack and sent in multiple crosses.
Fayia played the full 90 in both matches and continues to bring a top standard of play to the field for the Griffins.
MacEwan will be back at home this weekend, hosting Mount Royal on Saturday and Calgary on Sunday (both 12 p.m., Edmonton Scottish, Canada West TV).
Alyx Henderson moves the ball up the sideline against Mount Royal on Saturday. She leads Canada West in assists with five (Husain Dhooma photo).
3rd STAR: Alyx Henderson, F, women's soccer
Sherwood Park, AB, fifth-year, Arts
The veteran forward has 20 career goals, but this season she's been known more for assists, currently leading the conference with five of them through eight matches.
That's just three shy of the program record of eight, shared by Suekiana Choucair (2019) and Hannah Harper (2024).
Henderson added two more assists in MacEwan's weekend, both on tremendous crosses.
In Saturday's 3-2 win over Mount Royal, Henderson found a streaking Sophie Lavallee for the Griffins' second goal in the 25th minute.
Then she did it again in Sunday's 3-3 tie vs. Calgary, sending in an inspired long distance curling cross from the right midfield to spring Raeghan McCarthy for the Griffins' second goal in the 61st minute.
Henderson and the Griffins hit the road this weekend for matches at Saskatchewan on Saturday (2 p.m. MT) and at Regina on Sunday (12 p.m. MT, both Canada West TV).
