Jaron Slopinski, First Time Goal Scorers Lead Huskies to First Win of the Season

PRINCE GEORGE, B.C. - The University of Saskatchewan Huskies found the win column for the first time in 2025 Friday night (Sept. 12) at Masich Place Stadium in Prince George, defeating the UNBC Timberwolves 3-1 thanks to a trio of student-athletes finding the net for the first time in their careers and an outstanding performance in net.

The victory not only marked the Dogs' first of the campaign, but was also the first time since 2016 the program took down the Timberwolves in regular season action. It was also the first victory for the Huskies in the province of British Columbia since 2017, when the team defeated the Trinity Western Spartans.

Dante Molina, Ty Lee, and Tao Hein each tallied for Saskatchewan, however the headline performance belonged to Huskies goalkeeper Jaron Slopinski, who turned aside nine shots — several of the spectacular variety. It marked the most saves in a single game for Slopinski since his sophomore campaign, when the keeper set a career best mark of 11 in a draw against Alberta. At the other end of the pitch, all three of Saskatchewan's attempts on target found the back of the net.

The Huskies struck first in the 13th minute after a defensive miscue allowed Molina to pounce and bury his first of the year. It stood as the only shot on frame for Saskatchewan in the opening 45, but UNBC carried momentum into halftime with their heads held high despite the 1-0 deficit.

Early in the second half, Molina again made his presence felt, this time delivering a perfectly placed corner that Lee muscled home for a 2-0 advantage. Then in the 77th, Hein added insurance when he finished low past UNBC goalkeeper Logan Pierce off a feed from Misgana Killoh.

The Timberwolves kept pressing and were rewarded in the 88th minute. Isaac Tate forced yet another save from Slopinski but the rebound fell to Mehdi Bounaaja, who slipped the ball to Scott in space atop the area. The veteran midfielder struck cleanly with his left foot, beating Slopinski for his first Canada West goal and giving the home fans a moment to cheer.

But the late push came too little, too late, and the final whistle confirmed a 3-1 Saskatchewan victory, dropping UNBC to 3-3-1 on the season while the Dogs improved to 1-3-1. The Huskies will head south to Vancouver for their next match, with the team set to take on the No. 1-ranked team in the nation and defending national champion UBC Thunderbirds.