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A Spruce Grove woman says she has received an outpouring of support after going public with her story about facing rape threats and an assault while playing minor league hockey.

Kaitlyn Byers, 18, was the only female player on the Spruce Grove Highlanders hockey team last season when she said a male player on an opposing team threatened her with sexual assault.

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‘The game was, like, a bit more aggressive than usual,” Byers said recalling the Nov. 1, 2015, game. “There was this one guy and he was kind of targeting me the whole game.”

“His exact words to me were, ‘I want to f–k you,’ and then it changed to, ‘I’m going to f–k you,’ and then he pinned me against the boards and said, ‘I’m going to have sex with you whether you want to or not’ and at this point I was in complete fear and shock.”

Byers, who had 10 years of playing minor hockey, said she immediately skated over to tell her coach, who was outraged by the incident, and complained to the referees.