McCarthy named Canada West women's soccer player of the week after clutch goals vs. MRU, Calgary
September 23, 2025

McCarthy named Canada West women's soccer player of the week after clutch goals vs. MRU, Calgary

Jefferson Hagen
MacEwan Athletics

EDMONTON – For the second-straight weekend, the MacEwan Griffins have a Canada West BioSteel women's soccer player of the week winner.

Just seven days after Grace Mwasalla won the prestigious honour, this time it's Raeghan McCarthy, who was named the Canada West BioSteel player of the week on Tuesday for the first time in her career.

It's also the 10th time a Griffins women's soccer player has earned Canada West's top billing in program history.

McCarthy scored twice for the Griffins, who secured a four-point weekend against two teams that entered the set undefeated.

Saturday's match vs. MRU was tied 2-2 late before McCarthy's spectacular highlight-reel volley from distance in the 84th minute lifted MacEwan to victory. It's her 10th career game-winning goal, moving her into the Canada West all-time top-10 list.

"It was massive," said Griffins head coach Dean Cordeiro of the tally. "The game-winning goal against Mount Royal on the Saturday – a volley. I think three of the five goals she's scored this year are goals of the year candidates, so it's not like she's scoring tap-ins. The quality that it takes to score these goals, there's very few people in the league that can do that."

McCarthy nearly had the game-winner again on Sunday as she scored in the 61st minute to put the Griffins up 2-1 on the Dinos – again a highlight-reel quality strike after running onto an Alyx Henderson long curling cross and blasting it past the keeper.

"If you watch the game closely, she's the first one up in the attack and you saw that on the goal against Calgary," said Cordeiro. "What a great run to penetrate the midfield and take that ball down on a pass by Alyx Henderson. What a touch and then the finish is next level. 

"Then, she's always the first one back," he added of the central midfielder, whose defensive responsibilities are just as important. "I think she had most defensive headers in the game, or was right up there (on our team). She's doing it at both ends and you don't see that regularly. 

"It's been a real boost to our offence. Our forwards are contributing, but when you get that production from a central midfielder, it changes things for you. With her playing such a defensive role, to see her have five goals so far is very impressive."

For the season, McCarthy is now tied for third in Canada West in goals (5), is second in shots (27) and is tied for sixth in shots on goal (15). 

"It's exactly the reason we brought her in and why she wanted to close this chapter on her illustrious university career," said Cordeiro of McCarthy, who returned to the Griffins for her fifth season of eligibility after previously playing from 2017-21. 

"We knew she was going to bring that fierce competitor. She has that refuse-to-lose mindset and you're seeing it day-in and day-out."

McCarthy and the Griffins will 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).