SOC: Leonard rewrites record books; El Gandour stars for Cougars

VANCOUVER - A record setting effort by Montana Leonard and a four-goal weekend for Mohamed El Gandour earned the duo Canada West Soccer Player of the Week honours.

Leonard scored a pair of goals in each of the Calgary Dinos two wins over the Alberta Pandas on the weekend breaking a school record and tying a conference mark in the process.

In Saturday's 3-2 win, Leonard found the back of the net twice before the game was 10 minutes old. The pair of goals made Leonard the all-time leading scorer in Dinos history, and the program's single season scoring record holder.

The record books needed rewriting again on Sunday, this time at the conference level, after Leonard's two goals in Calgary's 2-0 win moved the Richmond, B.C. native into a tie for the most goals scored in a single Canada West season.

The two wins locked up a top-two finish for Calgary in the Central Division while keeping the Dinos well in the mix for first-place, just a point shy of the MacEwan Griffins.

The top two teams in the division will close the regular season against each other next weekend when Leonard will look to become the sole conference record holder for goals in a season.

Leonard will move forward as the CW nominee for the U SPORTS Athlete of the Week.

Game log:
Oct. 16 - 2 goals in 3-2 W at ALB
Oct. 17 - 2 goals in 2-0 W at ALB

El Gandour's strong play could not have been any more timely for the Cougars. With Mount Royal in a log jam atop the conference's Central Division, the Cougars were able to take the full six points in their weekend series with Saskatchewan, thanks to El Gandour's play.

With the victories, the Cougars moved into sole possession of first place with 18 points.

The third-year forward recorded a hat-trick on Saturday, scoring all three of Mount Royal's goals in a 3-1 victory. On Sunday, the Calgary native was at it again, tallying again in the 41st minute to help the Cougars to a 3-2 win.

The Cougars (5-1-3) will play their final regular season match against the Lethbridge Pronghorns (0-7-2) on Saturday.

El Gandour will move forward as the CW nominee for the U SPORTS Athlete of the Week.

Game log:
Oct. 16 - 3 goals in 3-1 W vs SSK
Oct. 17 - 1 goals in 3-2 W vs SSK