November 1, 2014

Shorthanded Ottawa able to down Laurier in semi-final

The second game of the OUA women’s semi-final could have aptly been named “The Pilar Khoury Show.”

Laurier 0-1-0

Ottawa 1-0-0

Final

Laurier (0-1-0)

Ottawa (1-0-0)

Photo by Michael P. Hall

The second game of the OUA women's semi-final could have aptly been named "The Pilar KhouryShow."

The Gee-Gees all-star forward and the 2014 East Division MVP was a force to be reckoned with, stepping up when her team needed her most by scoring the game winning goal.

Still tied at zero late in the game, Ottawa was forced to play shorthanded when 2013 East Division MVP Julia Francki received a red card in the 82^nd minute for colliding hard with Laurier's goalkeeper Maggie Carmichael.

The Gee-Gees had several chances to score early in the game, controlling play for much the first half, but the red card seemingly tilted the odds in the Golden Hawks favour.

In the 89^th minute, Ottawa's gold medal hopes became even gloomier when a hand ball inside the box awarded the Golden Hawks a penalty kick that would have likely won them the game.

Sending midfielder Katie Bishop up to the penalty spot with the game on the line, Laurier watched as she sailed the ball high above the top right corner of the net.

Dodging a bullet and still down a player, the CIS no.1-ranked Gee-Gees went into a defensive shell, focusing more on disrupting the Laurier attack than launching one of their own, and for the second time on the afternoon extra time would be needed.

In the 94^th minute, Katherine Bearne took possession of the ball for Ottawa just shy of midfield and sent a beautiful lob pass to a streaking Khoury. With the Laurier defender cleanly beat, Carmichael came out to challenge Khoury as she approached the top of the 18-yard box. Showing the scoring touch of a player that finished third in league scoring, Khoury chipped the ball perfectly over Carmichael into the back left corner of the net.

The goal electrified the Gee-Gees bench and energized the team. Just moments later, Khoury broke in again on a beautiful run, carrying the ball through several Laurier defenders before launching a rocket just high of the top left corner of the net.

Needing a goal in the final minutes, Laurier was able to muster one prime scoring opportunity inside the 18-yard box and forced Gee-Gees goalkeeper Cynthia LeBlanc to make a game-saving diving stop.

Laurier's Emily Brown, the league's co-leader in scoring and a two-time West Division MVP, was held off the score sheet by the Gee-Gees and was unable to generate many quality scoring chances in a frustrating afternoon.

The first half of the match did not lack for energy, especially on the side of the Ottawa Gee-Gees.

The Gee-Gees best chance came off a brilliant individual effort by defender Morgan McNeil who dribbled her way to just outside the six-yard box near the side of the net and curled a shot that seemed destined for the top corner. Carmichael, though, was able to extend up and deflect the ball over the crossbar.

Ottawa will now face the Western Mustangs in the women's gold medal game tomorrow at 3 p.m., while Laurier will now play for bronze against the UOIT Ridgebacks at 10 a.m. Both games will be played at Ron Joyce stadium in Hamilton. Julia Francki will not be eligible to play in the game after receiving the red card.

Both Ottawa and Western have earned berths in the CIS National Championship tournament being played from Nov. 6-9 in Quebec City. The winner of the bronze medal match will also receive a berth in the national championship tournament.