Halifax Tides’ Saorla Miller shines against Montreal

Nova Scotian Saorla Miller scored twice for Halifax Tides FC in a 2-2 draw against Montreal Roses FC on Oct. 2 in Northern Super League action.

“They played without any fear,” Tides coach Stephen Hart said. “They took the game to Montreal, as you should when you are at home.”

Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston joined thousands of dedicated fans at the Wanderers Grounds, braving the bitter night to cheer on Halifax’s only professional women’s sports team.

“The atmosphere and energy here was great,” Houston said. “Two goals scored by a local Nova Scotian — that second goal was the best goal I have ever seen in soccer.”

Miller Magic

Netting two goals in seven shots, Miller had her best game of the season against the Roses, dominating the left side of the field. She consistently won one-on-one battles, penetrating the defense and serving as a vocal leader for her squad.

“I think in tight games like this, it’s really important for us to stick together and for everyone to use their voice to keep us focused,” Miller says. “Whenever I can be that [voice] and keep us on the right page, I try to.”

The 24-year-old has seen success at several levels of the sport. In 2017, Miller helped win a bronze medal for Nova Scotia at the Canada Summer Games in Winnipeg. Miller went on to win four conference titles and finish as the 2023 American Athletic Conference’s top scorer during her career at the University of Memphis.

Miller played professionally in Iceland last season before making a full-circle return to Halifax, competing in her hometown for the first time since her youth. 

“It’s honestly hard to put into words,” Miller says. “I feel really, really grateful for all the people behind the scenes who made this league possible in Canada.

“Being able to look in the stands and see family and friends that I haven’t played in front of since I was young never gets old.”

Looking forward

With two games remaining at the time of writing, and Halifax sitting at the bottom of the NSL with a 3-13-7 record, the Tides are looking to end the season on a high note.

“I think for the next two games, they’re just going to be about continuing to do what we want to do and get a result,” keeper Anika Tóth says. “I think it would be huge if we can get a win in the next two games and just be consistent, trying to build off tonight.”

The Tides’ leadership team will look to add new players to their roster, hoping to bring more wins to Halifax and become a championship contender.

“The biggest focus we’re going to have [in the off-season] is getting the best players we can so we can try to get a few more wins,” Tides CEO Courtney Sherlock said after the game.