Banner Season: Top teams in the East go toe-to-toe to crown conference champion
Burlington, Ont. – They were the top two teams in the East Division throughout the season, and this weekend, they’ll go head-to-head once again to see which side will be crowned top team in the conference. The Ottawa Gee-Gees and Queen’s Gaels – the two most recent banner winners – will renew their rivalry once again on Saturday, November 4th at Matt Anthony Field, as the two battle-tested teams come together to compete for the 2023 Ontario University Athletics (OUA) Women’s Soccer Championship.
Championship Details:
When: Saturday, November 4th, 2023 (12:00 pm)
Where: Matt Anthony Field
Participating Schools (2): Ottawa Gee-Gees (host); Queen’s Gaels
Stream: oua.tv / CBC Sports YouTube
Defending Champions: Ottawa Gee-Gees | ALL PAST CHAMPIONS
Student Athletes to Watch:
Jenna Mastsukubo, Ottawa Gee-Gees | A proven performer on the pitch, the two-time OUA all-star has been a major player for the Gee-Gees, epitomizing the notion that teamwork makes the dream work. This will be an especially intriguing game for the Ottawa, Ont. local, as she spent the last several years of her varsity tenure with the Gaels, including an all-star effort in 2022. With an OUA title under her belt with the Tricolour, Matsukubo will turn to her pristine passing – which ranked her atop the OUA in assists this season – and veteran experience to help her new squad come away victorious over her former teammates.
Leda Naihin, Queen’s Gaels | While brief in nature, Naihin’s varsity tenure with the Gaels has brought with it an immediate impact and she will surely be ready to step into the spotlight in her first OUA Championship. The division’s rookie of the year has been a consistent contributor to the Queen’s scoresheet in her debut campaign, finishing in the top-10 in scoring across the province, and maintaining that keen offensive touch on the banner season stage will go a long way to help her Tricolour overcome the test that lies ahead of them.
Cassandra Provost, Ottawa Gee-Gees | Leading the OUA offensively for a second straight season, the third-year forward has proven to be an unstoppable force on the pitch for the Gee-Gees. Earning multiple honours throughout the season, including what is now back-to-back most valuable player nods, Provost is looking to make it two straight gold medals as well to add to an already well-stocked trophy case. With 23 goals during the regular season, the Acton Vale, Que. product will surely be a key figure for both Ottawa’s offensive efforts and Queen’s defensive planning.
Maya Smith, Ottawa Gee-Gees | Holding down the fort in the back end for Ottawa, the third-year defender has been a brick wall as part of her team’s undefeated season thus far. Having played in multiple championships and international competitions already, her experience has been a pivotal point of success for the Garnet and Grey, and both her and the team will rely on that this weekend. A first time all-star in 2023, Smith will surely be looking to add to an already impressive season by helping to shut down the Gaels on her home turf.
Mattson Strickler, Queen’s Gaels | A homecoming moment for the third-year Gael, Strickler comes to Ottawa to fight for gold. The offensive powerhouse tied for second in the OUA with 13 goals scored and 18 points in the regular season, trailing only Ottawa’s Provost in both categories. Fighting on the front lines for the Gaels game in and game out, the talented forward will put the Gee-Gees defence to work, much like she has done to the opposition throughout the 2023 campaign. More than just looking to leave her mark on the scoreboard, Strickler will be leaving everything on the pitch for her team, friends, and family this weekend in the nation’s capital.
Kirstin Tynan, Queen’s Gaels | The last line of defence for the Gaels has been rock solid all season long, coming up with big save after big save for the Limestone City squad. Tynan ranks third in the OUA with a save percentage of .880, having surrendered a goal in just two regular season games this season. She also came up clutch in the team’s semifinal showing against Western, where she not only held the Mustangs off the scoreboard through 120 minutes, but also turned aside a pair of shots in penalties to secure the win. It will be tough to get anything past this first team all-star on Saturday.
Storylines to Keep an Eye On:
As the Gee-Gees and Gaels prepare to push toward the OUA finish line with a conference title in their sights, they’ll both do so on the heels of a championship-pedigree in tow. While some fresh faces figure to play an integral part in Saturday’s finale, many of the teams’ familiar faces know what it takes to conquer the banner season stage. As the two most recent OUA winners – Ottawa in 2022 and Queen’s in 2021 – many of Saturday’s competitors have been able to hoist the coveted conference trophy before, and with even more titles from their programs through much of the past decade, these star-studded rosters will certainly be looking to carry on the winning traditions of their teams and take home some hardware in 2023.
It is seemingly always anybody’s game when these two teams converge on the pitch, and their previous encounter this season was no exception. Having crossed paths on September 24th of this year, the powerhouse squads from East ended up deadlocked at a 0-0 draw once the final whistle blew. Both goalkeepers – Tynan for Queen’s and Cassidy Joslin for the Gee-Gees – stood tall, turning away four and three shots, respectively, as the top-two offences in the league were kept off the scoresheet for the only time across their regular season results. Whether it comes in regulation, extra time, or via penalties, that one of these teams will need to find the back of the net this time around to claim that coveted victory at Matt Anthony Field.
A loss in the Gaels’ regular season finale was the lone blip on either side’s regular season records this year. The East Division’s No. 2 seed Queen’s, finished at 10-1-1, but were able to avenge their lone loss with a quarterfinal win over the Nipissing Lakers. From there, the Gaels ousted the West’s top-seeded Wester Mustangs in penalties to earn their spot in the finale and will look to next conquer the undefeated Gee-Gees. The Garnet and Grey, meanwhile, will be looking to defend their champion-status on home soil and put a feather in the cap of their unblemished 2023 OUA campaign. After cruising to an 11-0-1 record in the regular season, Ottawa shut out Toronto 3-0 in the quarters and upended the McMaster Marauders 2-1 in the semifinals. Having played through high stakes situations multiple times, both teams will look to earn the edge in what promises to be a hard-fought OUA finale.
