OUA Women's Soccer Roundup Sept 8-10

Sept 10

McMaster 2, Guelph 0

Ally Riganelli provided the firepower, and the Marauders successfully battened down the hatches Sunday, securing their first win with a clean sheet against the top team in the OUA West.

McMaster shut out the previously unbeaten Guelph Gryphons 2-0 at Ron Joyce Stadium, moving to 1-1-4 on the season with the victory. Riganelli had both goals for the Marauders, while goalkeeper Deanna Persico stopped all three of the shots that she faced.

Neither team dominated in possession during the first half, with both sides seeing opportunities to score. Controversy struck when Guelph goalkeeper Brooke Davidson left the box to challenge an onrushing pass and was contacted, causing a delay in play. McMaster's Jade Smith and Mary Craig combined for an incisive move later in the opening half, with Smith managing a shot that was blocked by the Gryphons keeper.

Riganelli scored the first goal of the game with just minutes left in the half, getting on the end of a Maila Carboni cross and scuffing home from close range. Any attempt by the Gryphons to find an equalizer before the half's end was snuffed out, as the hosts took a 1-0 lead to the break.

McMaster started the second half with a bang, and another goal from Riganelli, as the forward had once again done the work to find herself in the right place at the right time, slotting into the open net in the 47th minute. Where the Gryphons managed to grab hold of possession, they were routinely stymied in their search for an equalizer by a stout Marauders defence, who conceded no clear scoring chances down the stretch as they raced to victory.

NEXT UP: McMaster heads out on the road, visiting the Brock Badgers on September 16 for an 11:00 a.m. encounter in St. Catharines.

Source: mauraders.ca

Queen's 1, Ottawa 1

INGSTON, Ont. (September 10, 2017) – In a match between two nationally ranked teams, the No. 5 Gaels (3-0-1) drew 1-1 against the visiting Ottawa Gee-Gees (4-1-1) on Sunday afternoon at Richardson Stadium. Fresh off a 3-0 win over Carleton the day before, the Gaels capped off their weekend with four points and remain an undefeated squad.
 
The opening minutes of the first half saw a pair of strikes on goal from both teams, with play transitioning end to end. The Gaels settled play and retained possession, moving the ball well through the midfield and penetrating the Gee-Gees back line with attack coming from Jenny Wolever (Toronto, Ont.) and rookie forward Alexandra Doane (Brookside, N.S.).
 
In a close match, it was the Gaels who were first to get on the scoresheet in the second half. A deep ball from Laura Callender (Ottawa, Ont.) had fullback Claudia Glasspoole (Calgary, Alta.) driving up the wing. Glasspoole was able to whip a cross into the box and find Wolever, who buried a goal in the top left corner.
 
Nearing the end of the second half, Gee-Gees forward Emma Lefebvre was able to pick off a pass and score to tie up the game before the final whistle.
 
"We always expect a good game when we play Ottawa," said head coach Dave McDowell. "I thought we had a pretty good second half and were unfortunate not to score more. I thought their goalie did well. I'm proud of the way we played and we learned some things today."

Source: gogaelsgo.com
 

UOIT 4, Toronto 1

The University of Toronto Varsity Blues women's soccer team dropped a 4-1 decision to the No. 2 UOIT Ridgebacks on Sunday afternoon (Sept. 10) at Varsity Stadium.

With the loss the Blue and White drop to 3-3-0 (W-L-D) on the season while the Ridgebacks remain undefeated at 5-0 atop the OUA East division. Toronto opened the scoring in the 10th minute as a set piece deflected to the foot of fifth-year Varsity Blues co-captain Christine Mulligan who sent a high shot over the outstretched arms of the UOIT keeper to make it 1-0 early.

In the 29th minute the Ridgebacks answered back when Mikaela Tierney took advantage off a failed Varsity Blues clearing attempt, sliding the ball past Toronto's second-year goalkeeper Vanna Staggolis to even the score 1-1 before the break. In the second half the differing strategies of the two sides became obvious with the Varsity Blues consistently looking to setup speedy third-year striker Natasha Klasios with long through balls, while the visitors controlled possession working their way up the field with precision passing.

It was UOIT's offence that broke through with Taijah Henderson scoring the game-winner in the 72nd minute before an insurance marker from Cassandra Sribny in the 89th. Staggolis impressed under duress from the Ridgebacks attack, finishing the contest with nine saves including several diving efforts. UOIT keeper Victoria Savage collected eight saves on the afternoon.

The Varsity Blues will look to rebound next weekend when they travel for rematches with Trent and UOIT. Action gets underway Saturday, September 16 versus the Excalibur with kick off scheduled for 1 p.m.

Source: varsityblues.ca

Waterloo 1, Laurier 1

The Waterloo women's soccer team made the first Battle of Waterloo game of the season one to remember, scoring in stoppage time to earn a 1-1 tie with the Laurier Golden Hawks on Sunday afternoon.

It was the home opener for the black and gold and Waterloo put together a solid effort in the clash with their cross-town rivals.  Danielle Erb (Waterdown/) scored Waterloo's lone goal in stoppage time to keep Waterloo undefeated (2-0-3) on the season.  In net, Madison MacDonald was solid making a key point blank save down the stretch to keep her Warriors within one.  

Laurier opened with much of the pressure in the opening 15 minutes and found the first goal off the foot of Gagan Parhar but Waterloo shifted the momentum in their favour for most of the game but just couldn't get one past Laurier's keeper Ashley Almeida.  That was until rookie striker Danielle Erb (Waterdown/) provided the late game heroics to give her squad a crucial point. 

The Warriors are now in a tie for third spot in the OUA west with nine points, just three back of first place Windsor.  Waterloo will be back in action next weekend with a pair of games, first at Western on Saturday followed by a home contest with Windsor on Sunday at Warrior Field.

Source: warriors.uwaterloo.ca

Carleton 7, RMC 0

KINGSTON, ON — One was enough, but the Carleton Ravens women's soccer team scored seven instead as they demolished the last-place RMC Paladins 7-0 in their second road game of the season at Navy Bay on Sunday afternoon.

Desperately needing a win prior to next week's game against the rival Ottawa Gee Gees (4-1-1), the Ravens didn't disappoint with their 7-goal thrashing. It's the most Carleton has scored in a game since 2013 when the team managed eight against both Trent and Nipissing. The total puts them back atop the OUA in goals scored with 19.

Just a season after losing to the Paladins for the first time in seven years, the Ravens came out flying with two goals in the first six minutes of play. Tori MacFarlane (Kars, ON) scored three minutes in to initiate the avalanche of goals that was to follow. Sabrina Hammada (Kanata, ON) followed just moments later with a goal of her own to make it 2-0.

"We got off to a good start and built off that in terms of our confidence," said head coach Fred Juett. "We kept possession of the ball and created a number of chances. While Carleton's charge was slowed temporarily by the Paladin defence, RMC couldn't prevent the inevitable as Hammada added her second of the day in the 35th minute to take a 3-0 lead heading into halftime.

The women dominated first-half possession and out shot RMC 9-1. The Hammada scoring theme continued in the next half, as twin sister Ghalia Hammada (Kanata, ON) tallied her own to open the second forty-five, extending the lead to four.

MacFarlane would get her name back on the score sheet in the 56th minute for her team-leading fourth goal of the season. Unsatisfied with their five-goal lead, Jennie Wong (Ottawa, ON) and Vanessa Germano (Ottawa, ON) would fire their own shots into the back of the net in the 62nd and 70th minute to complete the 7-goal haul.

"We tweaked our system a little bit and tried a few different players in positions that they didn't normally play in and they played pretty well," said Juett of his team's game plan. Carleton out-shot their opponents 18-3 throughout the game as keeper Rada Mintchev (Ottawa, ON) needed little effort to secure the team's first shutout and prevent RMC from scoring their first goal of the season.

At 3-3, Carleton has split each weekend – a pace that needs to change if they'd like to move up in the standings. n"Basically, it comes down to consistency," said Juett. "We've lost and won each weekend and we need to get more consistent in our play and play at a high level the whole game, not just pieces of the game."

The team will look to win two in a row with next week's cross-town matchup against Ottawa. Kick-off is set for 1 p.m. Sunday at MNP Park.

Source: goravens.com

Western 1, Brock 0

LONDON, Ont. – Second-year striker Vanessa Guglietti recorded her first goal of the season Sunday afternoon at Mustangs Field to help Western cap off their four-game season opening home stand with a 1-0 win over the Brock Badgers.
 
"I thought for the majority of the game we played fairly well, controlled possession, defended well…. I thought it was a good team performance overall," said Mustangs head coach Martin Painter. With the win the Mustangs move to 3-1-0 and are tied for third on the OUA West standings alongside the Waterloo Warriors and Laurier Golden Hawks. Brock falls to 1-2-2 with the loss and occupy seventh place in the West.
 
It was strong start to the game by both squads, who each played a very defensive style game, with the Mustangs outshooting the Badgers 3-0 in the opening 45 minutes. After a Brock corner kick was shut down by Mustang goalkeeper Julianna Guglietti, Western retained control of the ball and shortly after made their mark on the scoreboard when Vanessa Guglietti capitalized off a pass from Kendra Marlatt in the 40th minute to record the only goal of the game. 
 
"It was a long ball by Jenna and then Kendra headed it and I was in the 18-yard box and just shot it as hard as I could," said Vanessa Guglietti on her first half goal. "Vanessa's finishes in training all week have been fantastic so, it was no surprise to see her score," said Painter. "She's a great player and special moments like that, that's what we need and it made the difference today."
 
The Badgers pressed to tie the game in the second half, however Julianna Guglietti stopped each of Brock's two shots on net to secure the 1-0 win for the Mustangs. "I think we controlled the majority of the game," said Vanessa Guglietti following the win. "We were pressing really hard and fighting individually. Everyone was working really hard so, I think we deserved to win."
 
After four games at home to start the season, the Mustangs next challenge will take them on the road for the first time, as they'll take on the OUA West leading Windsor Lancers on Wednesday night at 6 p.m.
"Absolutely, I think going on the road will be good," said Painter when asked if he's excited for the team's first road trip of the year. "With such a young team, having the first road trip will be exciting for the girls and we're looking forward to it."

Souce: westernmustangs.ca

Ryerson 2, Trent 1

What started as a rather uneventful match quickly turned into a dramatic event which saw the Ryerson Rams pull off a 2-1 victory over the Trent University Excalibur at Downsview Park on Sunday evening.

Sept 9

Laurentian 1, Nipissing 0

On a beautiful Sudbury Saturday afternoon, the Laurentian Voyageurs and Nipissing Lakers renewed rivalries on the pitch in the opening game of this year's Riley Gallo Cup and 705 Challenge Cup.  It took until the 84th minute for the twine to bulge but Sam Selkirk's marker ensured there would be a winner, sending the Voyageurs home with a 1-0 victory.

 The first half was a spirited affair as both teams had quality scoring opportunities.  Both Caitlin McNamara for the Voyageurs and Mykaela Volpe for the Lakers stood tall in their respective nets, finishing with four saves each entering the half time break.

The Lakers came out of the break with added intensity and tried to push the play against the Voyageurs, firing five more shots on McNamara but the Ottawa native was equal to the task each and every time.  As time was winding down, the Voyageurs were awarded a free kick in the Lakers half and, after a couple of fortuitous bounces, found the back of the net.  Kristy Walton fired the kick that split the Lakers' defenders, allowing Sarah Sanford to fire a shot on goal.  Volpe had trouble controlling the ball and Samantha Selkirk was there to tap the ball over the line, giving the Voyageurs a lead they would not relinquish.

Volpe had four saves for the visitors while McNamara stopped all nine shots fired her way to earn the clean sheet.

The Voyageurs now prepare to host the RMC Paladins and Queen's Gaels next Saturday and Sunday.  Kick-off is scheduled for 12pm both days.

Source: luvoyaguers.ca

Queen's 2, Carleton 0

KINGSTON, Ont. (September 9, 2017) - The No.5 Queen's Gaels (3-0-0) stayed undefeated with a 2-0 win over the visiting Carleton Ravens (2-3-0) on Saturday afternoon at Richardson Stadium.

Richardson Stadium has been kind to the Gaels early on this season as they started last weekend off with a pair of home wins and came into Saturday looking to make it three straight.

The Gaels were the first side to find their way on the scoresheet as rookie Taylor Green (Fall River, N.S.) potted her second goal of the season.

Gaels keeper Alexa MacLatchy-Gaudet (Upper Tantallon, N.S.) got the start for Queen's and held the Ravens at bay turning aside the lone shot on goal in the opening half.

In the second half, Queen's quickly extended their lead to 2-0.  Laura Callender (Ottawa) was able to create some space and deposit her second goal of the young season.

MacLatchy-Gaudet was kept busy from there as the Ravens had six shots, three on goal, putting the pressure on Queen's in the second half. The second-year keeper held her ground and stopped all four shots faced in the match for a clean sheet.

"It was a bit of a messy affair, but you have to figure out how to win messy affairs so I thought we did well in terms of dealing with that especially knowing that it would be a tough two game weekend with both teams from Ottawa coming in." - Head coach Dave McDowell

Source: gogaelsgo.com

UOIT 2, Ryerson 0

The No. 2 ranked UOIT women's soccer team continued to roll as they beat the Ryerson Rams 2-0 in Toronto on Saturday afternoon.
 
With the victory, UOIT (4-0-0) and Queen's (3-0-0) are the only teams in Ontario University Athletics (OUA) with unblemished records. The pair met in last year's OUA championship final and U SPORTS bronze medal match with UOIT coming out on top both times. Their lone meeting in the 2017 regular season comes on Sept. 23 in Kingston.
 
UOIT got off to a great start with Nicole Zajac (Pickering, Ont.) and Taijah Henderson (Ajax, Ont.) scoring in the opening 18 minutes of the match. Henderson has scored in all three games she has dressed for this season while Zajac netted her second goal of the season.
 
The UOIT defensive unit looked strong throughout the entire match, limiting the Rams to just four shots, their lowest output of the season.
 
Victoria Savage (Woodbridge, Ont.) earned her second shutout of the season, while Elisa Lapadula stopped two of the four Ridgeback shots on goal.

Source: uoitridgeblacks.ca

Toronto 2, Trent 1

The University of Toronto Varsity Blues women's soccer team defeated the Trent Excalibur 2-1 on Saturday afternoon (Sept. 9) at Varsity Stadium.

With the win, the Blues improve to 3-2, while the Excalibur drop to 0-4 in the early goings of the 2017 season. Trent opened the scoring in the seventh minute as Kaitlyn Steffler was taken down in the box and awarded a penalty kick. The fourth-year midfielder from Bradford, Ont., drilled the ball into the bottom left corner for her first goal of the season.

The Blues evened the match in the 39th minute as sophomore midfielder Maddie MacKay netted her first goal as a Varsity Blue, sending a booming shot that hit the cross bar and fell into the net. The two teams were deadlocked at 1-1 at the half.

Steffler had good chance to put Trent ahead in the 50th minute but Blues goalkeeper Vanna Staggolis came out to challenge for the save. Natasha Klasios, in her 2017 Varsity Blues debut after representing Canada at the 2017 FISU Summer Universiade in Taipei, netted the eventual game-winner in the 59th minute. The third-year striker received a nice through ball from veteran Nicki Parkes and made no mistake in finding the back of the net.

Excalibur striker Haley Giles broke through the Toronto back line and found herself all alone in the 77th minute but Staggolis came up with a huge stop to keep the Blues in the lead. Staggolis ended the match with four saves in her second victory of the season.

Source: varsityblues.ca

Other Scores

Ottawa 6, RMC 0

Windsor 5, Algoma 1

Sept 8

Brock 1, Guelph 0

GUELPH – It was a streak that eventually had to come to an end. The Guelph Gryphons women's soccer team finally conceded a goal – unfortunately, they couldn't answer. Guelph suffered its first loss of the season, dropping a 1-0 decision to the visiting Brock Badgers Friday night at the Gryphon Soccer Complex.

The Gryphons (3-1-1) entered the match unbeaten and had not conceded a goal in four previous away matches. But the Badgers would snap that streak.

Victoria Hinchliffe goes up for a ball in the Brock box

Cassandra Stirpe scored in the 11^th minute to give the visitors all the offence they would require. The Badgers sent a corner into the area and the ball bobbled around the box with the hosts unable to clear. It eventually ricocheted off Stirpe and past rookie goalkeeper Brooke Davidson, who was making her first career OUA start.

"We got on the back foot a bit and didn't remain calm," Guelph coach Shayne Campbell said of Brock's breakthrough. "We just didn't have an answer." The Gryphons have been ferocious in their own end this season. After an opening night 0-0 draw in Windsor, they rode late goals in their next two matches to take 1-0 wins on the road. Against Laurier last week, the offence awoke. Guelph played freely and used its creativity to win 3-0 in Waterloo.

But they were unable to generate the same flow in their home opener. Guelph had five shot attempts all match, with only Victoria Hinchliffe's effort hitting the target. The Badgers were the more offensive-minded team with 10 attempts, six on target. "We played well in midfield but didn't have a lot of chances," said Campbell. "We just couldn't produce that ball in the final third of the field. And Brock defended well.

"You have to learn and grow. It's an opportunity for us to go back to work."Davidson made five saves in an excellent debut.

"Brooke played very well," said Campbell. "The goal wasn't her fault. There wasn't much she could do about it."

Source: gryphons.ca

Waterloo 2, York 0

WATERLOO, Ont. (Friday, September 8, 2017) – The Laurier Golden Hawks women's soccer team made a statement Friday evening, backing up a 1-0 road win last Sunday with a comprehensive 2-0 victory at University Stadium to sweep a home-and-home set with the 2015 OUA Champion York Lions.

What a difference a year makes.

One year ago, the Lions (0-4-1) were able to exert their will on the Hawks (2-1-2), with 2-0 and 1-0 victories over the purple and gold in 2016. 

In 2017, that script has been reversed, with the Hawks firmly in charge of Friday's match in both ends of the pitch. 

While Laurier was not able to break through with a goal in the first half, they controlled possession, with the defence not giving the Lions an inch to breathe offensively. York did not register a shot until moments before the whistle for half-time.

You could feel the pressure from the purple and gold building up on the Lions near the end of the first 45 minutes. A breakthrough seemed imminent. Surely enough, York's protective bubble burst early in the second half, and it was full steam ahead for the Hawks.

Pauline McCordic (North Vancouver B.C.) was first in line for the purple and gold, heading home a ball from Nicole Lyon (Kitchener, Ont.) for her first marker of the year. Maxine Murchie (Kitchener, Ont.), coming in as a second-half substitute after missing a game due to injury, was next to the feast. Showing off her class, she made a mockery of the York back-line with some smooth footwork, quickly pushing the Laurier lead to two just 15 minutes into the second.

Some stellar team defence from the Hawks was more than enough to push them over the line for a second straight victory. While keeper Ashley Almeida (Burlington, Ont.) did not have much work, she did come up with a key save late to preserve her second consecutive clean sheet.

Source: laurierathletics.com