Calgary Wild FC has figured out how to avoid the bumps that came with the early part of its season.
Now the women are running wild.
A gritty 0-0 draw against host AFC Toronto on Sunday stretched Calgary’s unbeaten streak to six matches and made history.
For the first time in the Northern Super League’s two seasons, Toronto failed to defeat Alberta’s only women’s professional sports team.
It was not a win, but it might have felt close to one.
“That’s a great accomplishment for us,” defender Taylor Otto said. “It is a whole team effort. Defensively, we are a lot more structured. Obviously, we would have loved to get three points, but we are headed in the right direction for sure.”
That direction is a dramatic reversal from Calgary’s difficult start.
The current run began outside league play with a 4-0 victory over Club Soccer Mont-Royal Outremont in the Women’s Canadian Championship. The Wild then went west and defeated Vancouver Rise FC 3-2 before returning home to knock off league-leading Ottawa Rapid FC 4-3. Back-to-back 2-2 draws against Montreal Roses and Vancouver followed, setting up Sunday’s test against a Toronto side Calgary had never taken a point from.
This time, the Wild refused to budge. AFC Toronto generated 22 shots and put five on target, but Calgary-born goalkeeper Sarah Keilty-Dilling handled everything sent her way in her second consecutive start.
Calgary countered with 10 attempts, including four on target, and the clubs split possession evenly.
“The first half, we didn’t play how we expected,” Wild assistant coach Kory Babington said. “Once we addressed things at halftime, the momentum started to shift and we had more control. Getting a point here is amazing for us.”
Keilty-Dilling remains unbeaten as a starter. One of Calgary’s original signings, she helped the Wild earn their draw with Vancouver in her first start before recording Sunday’s clean sheet.The turnaround has coincided with five players joining the squad over the last month and with greater defensive organization throughout the lineup.
“For us, there have been a lot of little changes,” Otto said. “I think the staff has done a great job adding a little more structure, and credit to the girls coming in with a great attitude after a tough start to the season.
“We found a way to turn it around.”
They have found something. Three wins and three draws in six games without a loss. And now a clean sheet against an opponent that had always found a way past them.
“You are not going to dominate all games,” Babington said. “The first half was heavily in Toronto’s favour. We haven’t had trouble scoring of late until today. I wish we had one up our sleeve to take the three points back to Calgary.”
Instead, they brought home another bit of history and more momentum.
The Wild returns to McMahon Stadium for its Active Girls Match against Halifax Tides FC on Saturday at noon. Another game. Another chance to keep the Wild ride going.
— CGYSportsZone
