Video: Medicine Hat College Rattlers men’s soccer team in ACAC Championship tournament

It will mean they will have to win three straight at the championship event to qualify for nationals instead of needing two wins.

The Trojans will have an automatic bye to the semi-finals.

Head Coach Damir Omerovic said it was unfortunate that they ended up dropping some points in the last game.

“But overall, it’s been an incredible season,” Omerovic said.

“We’ve played them two games here at home. If you do get a chance to play them in the final, we’ll be ready. We’ll be ready for them. And I know they’re going to be ready for us as well.”

Aminja Abbe is in his second and final season with the Rattlers.

He said the loss to the Trojans will be left in the past.

“We know the type of team we are. You know, everybody loses. It’s not something that we’re new to,” Abbe said.

“Everybody came together this week to really prove that we’re the team that is nationally ranked. We’re going to continue with that so we can get our three wins here.”

Omerovic first coached the Rattlers four years ago, helping build the program.

“It’s been a lot of work put in, but it’s always about the players and what they deliver on the field,” Omerovic said.

“This group of boys, it was something that I sensed since day one that they wanted it. They were hungry,” he added.

“Over the years, the whole culture changed and the winning mentality.”

Tata Mugissa has played with the Rattlers for three seasons and is in his final year with the team.

He said things looked good with the team early on.

“I remember doing the first training of the season, which was just motivating us that this is the best team we’ve had so far for the college,” Mugissa said.

“We are planning to just pull it out and just give our best at the championship,” he added.

“As long as we play our game, I’m sure we can get the job done.”

A chance at a national championship is something that Mugissa said has been their goal since day one.

“We had this big dream of going to Nationals, but we have to go step by step,” Mugissa said.

“This is one of the steps that we have to do to get to the Nationals. We’re just excited. We’re focusing on our first game in the championship,” he added.

“We don’t think ahead of the Nationals or anything. So get the job done Friday and Saturday, you know, step by step.”

Abbe has played five years of ACAC soccer and also played three seasons with the Olds College Broncos team.

“I played my first collegiate year here, so it’s kind of ending it off where I started, which is kind of lovely,” Abbe said.

“I think, you know, the phone call to Demir about coming back. I always told him, like, if I come back, I want to make championships,” he added.

“Here now, that’s something that I’m pretty happy about.”

The first game in Raymond for the Rattlers is against Edmonton’s King’s University Eagles at 10 a.m. on Friday. The Eagles were 7-3-2 in the regular season.

A win for the Rattlers would put them in the semi-finals against Keyano College Huskies, the top team from the ACAC North. The Huskies were 9-1-2 on the season. That contest would be on Saturday at 12:30 a.m.

The medal games will both be played on Sunday. Gold goes at 5:30 p.m., and bronze at 12:30 p.m.

by Jesse Gill

Video: Medicine Hat College Rattlers men’s soccer team in ACAC Championship tournament

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