October 28, 2013
W-Soccer Roundup: No. 1 Ottawa upset by Queen's in penalty kicks; Final Four set
HAMILTON, Ont. - Recapping the OUA women's soccer quarter-finals.
Queen’s 1 at Ottawa 0 (PK)
The Queen’s Gaels needed penalty kicks to knock off the top-ranked team in the CIS in OUA quarter-final play on Sunday. Neither team could find the back of the net through 120 minutes of play and were forced to decide it in the most suspenseful of ways.
Coming into the game, both teams knew it wouldn’t be easy to score given there was only one scored between their two regular season meetings. “It’s difficult to score against a well-organized team and certainly that was the case today,” said Gee-Gees head coach Steve Johnson after the game. “Their season record didn’t reflect the quality of them as a team. They’re coming on strong at the right time of the year.”
The action was back and forth throughout the game with both teams creating great chances on goal but unable to convert.
“We had good communication in the back, we were solid and confident,” said Gee-Gees goalkeeper Cynthia LeBlanc. “We’ve been practicing playing against their style of play so we were ready for that.”
Queen’s had an opportunity with 18 minutes to go in the second half as Riley Filion directed a free kick on goal. It was deflected on its way and LeBlanc had to make a sprawling save to keep it out.
Soon after, the Gee-Gees turned it the other way and created some opportunities of their own, including a great run by Pilar Khoury where she made three Gaels miss on her way to the goal.
The Gee-Gees continued to press into the 30 minute extra frame. They saw a couple tough shots stopped and got the ball into the box but couldn’t get it past the keeper. Queen’s had a couple opportunities of their own, one in which Tara Bartram found herself wide open in front but skied her kick 20 feet over the net.
So it was down to penalties. The first two tries went off the bar, the second two were turned aside by the keepers. Chiara Quadri stepped up next and converted. Queen’s responded by scoring next. Sara DeCarufel was robbed when she tried to go straight down the middle on the Gee-Gees’ kick that followed. Queen’s scored again to make it 2-1.
Cynthia LeBlanc buried the next Gee-Gees kick herself to tie it back up. Leblanc then returned to the line and needed to stop the Gael’s fifth shooter, Brittany Almeida, to extended it. But she drilled it to the left to send Queen’s on their way to the OUA Final Four.
“We had been practicing penalties but they were not the quality that we’ve seen in preparation,” added Johnson. “You’ve played 120 minutes and your legs are exhausted, it’s not like you’re shooting penalties when you’re completely fresh. So some of the players just didn’t get the same placement they would normally.”
The Gaels advance to the 2013 OUA Final Four which will be held at Western University from Nov. 1-3, while the Gee-Gees miss out on the Final Four for just the fourth time in twenty seasons of play.
Source: Ottawa Sports Info
Guelph 0 at Western 2
LONDON, Ont. - The Mustangs duo of Jenna White and Lauren Winquist propelled the Western women's soccer team to their first playoff victory of the 2013 season, with a 2-0 shutout win over the Guelph Gryphons Sunday afternoon at Huron Flats Field.
"It's [the win] a great feeling," said Mustangs head coach Martin Painter. "It's been a great season and I'm really proud of the team and the performance that we saw today."
The Mustangs wrapped up their undefeated regular season last week with a 2-0 victory over the Gryphons. And after racking up both a win and a tie, over the Gryphons in regular season play, it was clear that Guelph was looking to prove themselves matching up against the Mustangs for the their third contest of the season.
In the opening half of the play both teams fought hard to take control of the play, however the Mustangs' strong offensive presence managed to control the play in the Gryphons end of the pitch for a large part of the half. The Mustangs generated a number of scoring opportunities throughout the half; however, it was White who put the purple and white on the scoreboard, when she launched the ball into the top left corner of the Gryphons net on a penalty shot. The Mustangs went into the break with a 1-0 advantage over the Gryphons.
In the second half of the contest, it was the Gryphons' who turned up the offensive by controlling the play in the Mustangs end of the field and fighting hard to cut the Mustangs lead. Mustang goaltender Tori Edgar shut out all shots coming her way though. In the 83rd minute of play, Western's Becca Jefferson carried the ball deep into the Gryphons end and made an impressive crossover pass to Winquist who netted the second Western goal of the game to widen the Mustangs' advantage to 2-0. The Gryphons battled hard down to the very last second of the play, but were unable to put themselves onto the scoreboard and walked off the pitch with a 2-0 defeat.
"We are going to prepare like any other week. We're going to train all week long and make sure our players are mentally and physically ready to go for Friday," said Painter.
With the victory, the Mustangs now hold a 1-0 record for the 2013 playoff season, and will advance to the Final Four where they will host the lowest-ranked East Division team on Friday, Nov. 1. Game time is 7:00 p.m. at Huron Flats Field.
Source: Western Sports Info
Carleton 1 at Toronto 0
The University of Toronto Varsity Blues women's soccer team fell 1-0 in overtime to the Carleton Ravens in OUA quarter-final action on Sunday afternoon (Oct. 27) at Varsity Centre.
Carleton's Abby Nicastro (Ottawa) scored the game's lone goal in the 117th minute, receiving a cross all alone in front of the net to find the back of the mesh.
The Ravens advance to the OUA Final Four next weekend, hosted by Western. The winners of next week's semifinals will advance to the 2013 CIS women's soccer championship, Nov. 7-10, hosted by U of T. The Blues receive an automatic berth as hosts of the national tournament.
Toronto came out ready to go and dominated the first half, outshooting Carleton 5-1. U of T almost found the back of the net in the first 10 minutes of action as Aisha Lewis rang a shot off the cross bar.
The Blues continued to pressure Diana Esteireiro's free kick found Olivia Gonsalves in front of the net, but her header went right into Carleton goalkeeper Liz MacDougall's arms.
U of T had another couple of chances in the 26th minute when LaShaunna Harper found herself all alone on MacDougall but sent the ball just wide of the net. Seconds later Harper sent the ball across the goal line and MacDougall made a huge save on Blues rookie midfielder Nicki Parkes.
In the 35th minute, Parkes sent a centering pass to Lewis, but her shot sailed over the net.
In the final minute of the first half, Carleton's Nicole Filipow (Edmonton) sent a shot that bounced off Petrucci and rang off the post. The game remained scoreless at the half.
The Ravens controlled the play early in the second half, sending a few good chances towards Blues goalkeeper Sara Petrucci. Second-year striker Christine Zimpfer used some nifty footwork to get a shot in the 72nd minute, but her shot sailed wide.
In the 90th minute Toronto corner kick but MacDougall stopped it and the game headed to overtime.
MacDougall posted eight saves in the win, while Petrucci had five on the day.
Source: Toronto Sports Info
UOIT 0 at Laurier 2
WATERLOO, Ont. (October 27, 2013) The Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks womens soccer team punched their ticket to the OUA Final Four tournament with a 2-0 win over the UOIT Ridgebacks on Sunday afternoon at University Stadium.
The Hawks, who got goals from Emily Brown of Waterloo, Ont., and Cassandra Mensah of Mississauga, Ont., will make their seventh consecutive appearance at the OUA Final Four following their quarter-final victory over the Ridgebacks.
In the first ever meeting between the Hawks and UOIT in OUA playoff action, it was Laurier who got the start they wanted as they jumped out to a 1-0 lead just three minutes into the match. Brown, who led the OUA in scoring during the regular season with 18 goals, beat Ridgebacks keeper Melissa MacKinnon of Millgrove, Ont., from nearly 30 yards out to put Laurier on top.
The Ridgebacks wouldnt be slowed by the goal and controlled possession for much of the next 20 minutes. However, they could not find a way through to Laurier keeper Katrina Ward of Surrey, B.C., who did not have to face a shot in the first half thanks to her backline.
Play continued to be fairly even between the two clubs in the second half with both teams getting chances to find the back of the net early on. However, it would be the Hawks that would come through again to extend their lead. Off a corner kick from Julie Maheu of Oakville, Ont., the ball fell to Mensah at the top of the six yard box and she made no mistake, burying her first career goal in the purple and gold in the 77th minute to put the Hawks up 2-0.
UOIT would push to get back into the contest late but Lauriers defence, anchored by Kelsey Tikka and Amanda Mithrush, both of Thunder Bay, Ont., shut the door to advance Laurier to the OUA Semifinal.
Ward finished the game with six saves to post the shutout win while MacKinnon stopped two of the four shots directed her way in a losing cause.
With a crossover format now in place, the Hawks will take on the third seed from the OUA East, the Carleton Ravens, in their next match. The Ravens finish as the highest seed in their division after they upset No. 7 Toronto in overtime and the fourth-seeded Queens Gaels defeated No. 1 Ottawa in penalty kicks.
Stay tuned to laurierathletics.com for complete information on the OUA Final Four.
Source: Laurier Sports Info
Queen’s 1 at Ottawa 0 (PK)
The Queen’s Gaels needed penalty kicks to knock off the top-ranked team in the CIS in OUA quarter-final play on Sunday. Neither team could find the back of the net through 120 minutes of play and were forced to decide it in the most suspenseful of ways.
Coming into the game, both teams knew it wouldn’t be easy to score given there was only one scored between their two regular season meetings. “It’s difficult to score against a well-organized team and certainly that was the case today,” said Gee-Gees head coach Steve Johnson after the game. “Their season record didn’t reflect the quality of them as a team. They’re coming on strong at the right time of the year.”
The action was back and forth throughout the game with both teams creating great chances on goal but unable to convert.
“We had good communication in the back, we were solid and confident,” said Gee-Gees goalkeeper Cynthia LeBlanc. “We’ve been practicing playing against their style of play so we were ready for that.”
Queen’s had an opportunity with 18 minutes to go in the second half as Riley Filion directed a free kick on goal. It was deflected on its way and LeBlanc had to make a sprawling save to keep it out.
Soon after, the Gee-Gees turned it the other way and created some opportunities of their own, including a great run by Pilar Khoury where she made three Gaels miss on her way to the goal.
The Gee-Gees continued to press into the 30 minute extra frame. They saw a couple tough shots stopped and got the ball into the box but couldn’t get it past the keeper. Queen’s had a couple opportunities of their own, one in which Tara Bartram found herself wide open in front but skied her kick 20 feet over the net.
So it was down to penalties. The first two tries went off the bar, the second two were turned aside by the keepers. Chiara Quadri stepped up next and converted. Queen’s responded by scoring next. Sara DeCarufel was robbed when she tried to go straight down the middle on the Gee-Gees’ kick that followed. Queen’s scored again to make it 2-1.
Cynthia LeBlanc buried the next Gee-Gees kick herself to tie it back up. Leblanc then returned to the line and needed to stop the Gael’s fifth shooter, Brittany Almeida, to extended it. But she drilled it to the left to send Queen’s on their way to the OUA Final Four.
“We had been practicing penalties but they were not the quality that we’ve seen in preparation,” added Johnson. “You’ve played 120 minutes and your legs are exhausted, it’s not like you’re shooting penalties when you’re completely fresh. So some of the players just didn’t get the same placement they would normally.”
The Gaels advance to the 2013 OUA Final Four which will be held at Western University from Nov. 1-3, while the Gee-Gees miss out on the Final Four for just the fourth time in twenty seasons of play.
Source: Ottawa Sports Info
Guelph 0 at Western 2
LONDON, Ont. - The Mustangs duo of Jenna White and Lauren Winquist propelled the Western women's soccer team to their first playoff victory of the 2013 season, with a 2-0 shutout win over the Guelph Gryphons Sunday afternoon at Huron Flats Field.
"It's [the win] a great feeling," said Mustangs head coach Martin Painter. "It's been a great season and I'm really proud of the team and the performance that we saw today."
The Mustangs wrapped up their undefeated regular season last week with a 2-0 victory over the Gryphons. And after racking up both a win and a tie, over the Gryphons in regular season play, it was clear that Guelph was looking to prove themselves matching up against the Mustangs for the their third contest of the season.
In the opening half of the play both teams fought hard to take control of the play, however the Mustangs' strong offensive presence managed to control the play in the Gryphons end of the pitch for a large part of the half. The Mustangs generated a number of scoring opportunities throughout the half; however, it was White who put the purple and white on the scoreboard, when she launched the ball into the top left corner of the Gryphons net on a penalty shot. The Mustangs went into the break with a 1-0 advantage over the Gryphons.
In the second half of the contest, it was the Gryphons' who turned up the offensive by controlling the play in the Mustangs end of the field and fighting hard to cut the Mustangs lead. Mustang goaltender Tori Edgar shut out all shots coming her way though. In the 83rd minute of play, Western's Becca Jefferson carried the ball deep into the Gryphons end and made an impressive crossover pass to Winquist who netted the second Western goal of the game to widen the Mustangs' advantage to 2-0. The Gryphons battled hard down to the very last second of the play, but were unable to put themselves onto the scoreboard and walked off the pitch with a 2-0 defeat.
"We are going to prepare like any other week. We're going to train all week long and make sure our players are mentally and physically ready to go for Friday," said Painter.
With the victory, the Mustangs now hold a 1-0 record for the 2013 playoff season, and will advance to the Final Four where they will host the lowest-ranked East Division team on Friday, Nov. 1. Game time is 7:00 p.m. at Huron Flats Field.
Source: Western Sports Info
Carleton 1 at Toronto 0
The University of Toronto Varsity Blues women's soccer team fell 1-0 in overtime to the Carleton Ravens in OUA quarter-final action on Sunday afternoon (Oct. 27) at Varsity Centre.
Carleton's Abby Nicastro (Ottawa) scored the game's lone goal in the 117th minute, receiving a cross all alone in front of the net to find the back of the mesh.
The Ravens advance to the OUA Final Four next weekend, hosted by Western. The winners of next week's semifinals will advance to the 2013 CIS women's soccer championship, Nov. 7-10, hosted by U of T. The Blues receive an automatic berth as hosts of the national tournament.
Toronto came out ready to go and dominated the first half, outshooting Carleton 5-1. U of T almost found the back of the net in the first 10 minutes of action as Aisha Lewis rang a shot off the cross bar.
The Blues continued to pressure Diana Esteireiro's free kick found Olivia Gonsalves in front of the net, but her header went right into Carleton goalkeeper Liz MacDougall's arms.
U of T had another couple of chances in the 26th minute when LaShaunna Harper found herself all alone on MacDougall but sent the ball just wide of the net. Seconds later Harper sent the ball across the goal line and MacDougall made a huge save on Blues rookie midfielder Nicki Parkes.
In the 35th minute, Parkes sent a centering pass to Lewis, but her shot sailed over the net.
In the final minute of the first half, Carleton's Nicole Filipow (Edmonton) sent a shot that bounced off Petrucci and rang off the post. The game remained scoreless at the half.
The Ravens controlled the play early in the second half, sending a few good chances towards Blues goalkeeper Sara Petrucci. Second-year striker Christine Zimpfer used some nifty footwork to get a shot in the 72nd minute, but her shot sailed wide.
In the 90th minute Toronto corner kick but MacDougall stopped it and the game headed to overtime.
MacDougall posted eight saves in the win, while Petrucci had five on the day.
Source: Toronto Sports Info
UOIT 0 at Laurier 2
WATERLOO, Ont. (October 27, 2013) The Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks womens soccer team punched their ticket to the OUA Final Four tournament with a 2-0 win over the UOIT Ridgebacks on Sunday afternoon at University Stadium.
The Hawks, who got goals from Emily Brown of Waterloo, Ont., and Cassandra Mensah of Mississauga, Ont., will make their seventh consecutive appearance at the OUA Final Four following their quarter-final victory over the Ridgebacks.
In the first ever meeting between the Hawks and UOIT in OUA playoff action, it was Laurier who got the start they wanted as they jumped out to a 1-0 lead just three minutes into the match. Brown, who led the OUA in scoring during the regular season with 18 goals, beat Ridgebacks keeper Melissa MacKinnon of Millgrove, Ont., from nearly 30 yards out to put Laurier on top.
The Ridgebacks wouldnt be slowed by the goal and controlled possession for much of the next 20 minutes. However, they could not find a way through to Laurier keeper Katrina Ward of Surrey, B.C., who did not have to face a shot in the first half thanks to her backline.
Play continued to be fairly even between the two clubs in the second half with both teams getting chances to find the back of the net early on. However, it would be the Hawks that would come through again to extend their lead. Off a corner kick from Julie Maheu of Oakville, Ont., the ball fell to Mensah at the top of the six yard box and she made no mistake, burying her first career goal in the purple and gold in the 77th minute to put the Hawks up 2-0.
UOIT would push to get back into the contest late but Lauriers defence, anchored by Kelsey Tikka and Amanda Mithrush, both of Thunder Bay, Ont., shut the door to advance Laurier to the OUA Semifinal.
Ward finished the game with six saves to post the shutout win while MacKinnon stopped two of the four shots directed her way in a losing cause.
With a crossover format now in place, the Hawks will take on the third seed from the OUA East, the Carleton Ravens, in their next match. The Ravens finish as the highest seed in their division after they upset No. 7 Toronto in overtime and the fourth-seeded Queens Gaels defeated No. 1 Ottawa in penalty kicks.
Stay tuned to laurierathletics.com for complete information on the OUA Final Four.
Source: Laurier Sports Info
