Western finding success in new ways while Brock looks to turn their fortunes

Toronto, Ont. (via Ben Steiner) – The Western Mustangs and Ottawa Gee-Gees remain undefeated in OUA women’s soccer, and one of the most in-form strikers may be brand new to the conference, but is well known in Canadian university soccer circles.

With Week 3 behind us, and even an early taste of Week 4 play on the books, we’re starting to get a clear idea of where teams stand in the season heading into the middle portion of the campaign. Still, even with some clarity comes some mystery and the opportunity for programs to turn their fortunes quickly.

Let’s take a quick look back at Week 3 and preview what’s still to come in Week 4.

Western prove themselves further v McMaster

The Western Mustangs knew just how good they could be this season after finishing fifth at the U SPORTS Championship in 2023. Yet, their start has been near perfect, with defensive acuity standing out and a four-match shutout streak.

In Week 3, they outplayed the McMaster Marauders twice, keeping clean sheets in 3-0 and 1-0 victories against the side they met in the 2023 OUA bronze medal match.

Led by associate head coach Onkar Dhillon this season, the group has elevated Martin Painter's project since 2018, with veterans Gabby Kohut, Mara Sanauceanu, and Mackenzie Bilotta playing critical roles in the 5-0-1 start.

Throughout the weekend, the Mustangs continued to grow into the games against McMaster. While they started slow both games, they hit their stride after the first 30 minutes, opening the scoring just after that mark twice.

Meanwhile, at the back, goalkeeper ​​Samantha St. Croix continued to stand on her head for the Mustangs, making three saves in both matches, with Sanauceanu scoring a trio of goals through the weekend.

“We stuck to our principles, played the ball to feet, and played confidently," Sanauceanu said. "It was hot, but we stuck with it and ran that extra mile. We wanted to leave everything on the field, and I think we showed that today."

While the Ottawa Gee-Gees and Queen’s Gaels battle for the top of the OUA East, the Mustangs find themselves as a dominant force to start the season in the West, with Dhillon’s group hoping to take things even further than the third-place match in 2024.

Looking to continue their strong campaign, the Mustangs visit the Waterloo Warriors on Friday night before welcoming the Windsor Lancers for a Saturday afternoon clash.

Brock Badgers look to find form against Guelph Gryphons

The Brock Badgers have been one of the most perplexing stories of the season. They never look outclassed, are rarely ever outworked, and are stingy defensively -- yet they just haven’t found a way to beat top teams.

After a confidence-boosting 9-0 win over the Algoma Thunderbirds to close out last weekend, the Badgers find themselves with a home-and-home setup with the Guelph Gryphons this weekend and will have a chance to vault themselves up the standings.

Head coach Carli Tingstad’s group kept a clean sheet against Western in one match in Week 2, and dropped a close 2-1 decision to McMaster the week prior, surrendering an early lead after Sabrina Bisante opened the scoring in the first 10 minutes.

Now on her third U SPORTS team after starring with the UBCO Heat and starting undergrad with the Manitoba Bisons, Stefanie Young has been a welcome addition to the Badgers and scored four in the triumph over Algoma.

While she hasn’t spent much time in the OUA, her experience at the university level stands out. Should she be able to elevate her game against Guelph and other top teams, the Badgers could find themselves high in playoff contention.

Brock will have to make the most of their opportunities against Guelph; however, as they come few and far between. The Gryphons have needed just 12 saves this season, primarily using Sabrina Spano between the sticks, and have allowed just three goals while en route to outscoring their opponents by 16 thus far.

The first match kicks off Friday at 6:00 pm ET in Guelph, with the Badgers welcoming the Gryphons to St. Catharines at 1:00 pm ET on Sunday.