Day 2 of U Sports Women’s Nationals
Consolation #1: Ottawa sends STFX home with consolation semifinal victory
The following story is from U Sports by Sarah Maat November 10, 2023.
The Ottawa Gee-Gees defeated STFX 2-0 in the first consolation semifinal on Friday morning at the 2023 U SPORTS Women’s Soccer Championship in Kingston, Ont. After a scoreless first half the Gee Gees scored twice in the second to take the win and send the X-Women home.
In the first half, STFX came out with consistent pressure and got a few shots off, but each time Ottawa keeper Cassidy Joslin shut them down. In most cases X-Woman Aidan Miller led the charge. She got an excellent shot off early which landed just wide of the left post and later took another attempt which was deemed off-side.
Ottawa also loaded on the energy in the first half with good teamwork between Jenna Matsukubo and Cassandra Provost up the right side. The Gee Gees diligently followed each shot in to force X-Woman keeper Christina Gentile under pressure.
In the second half, Ottawa put themselves on the board early with a goal from Maya Dussault in the 50th minute. She exploded up the right side to receive a short cross and launched it up, over the keeper, and in.
Then, in the 82nd minute Eva Bouity added another for Ottawa to put their lead 2-0. For the rest of the half First Team All-Canadian Amanda Smith fought hard for STFX to even the score, but her shots on net were met by the Cassidy Joslin wall and Ottawa kept their sheet clean in the affair.
CONSOLATION #2: Western advances to Consolation Final with win over host Queen’s
The Western Mustangs defeated their OUA rivals, the Queen’s Gaels, 5-2 in their Consolation Semifinal match Friday afternoon in the 2023 U SPORTS Women’s Soccer Championship at Richardson Stadium in Kingston, Ont.
The Mustangs opened the scoring in the 14th minute when Gabby Kohut snuck past the Gaels keep and found the back of the net. Kohut would double Western’s lead just six minutes later, securing a strong cross from Maya Lankin before firing a shot into the top corner.
Reese Fowler made it 3-0 Mustangs in the 28th minute, after a corner kick was deflected into the back of the net.
Leda Naihin got one back for the Gaels late in the first half, firing a great shot from the far right side of the field into the net, and Western held a two-goal lead at half time.
Both teams traded chances early in the second half, punctuated by two highlight-reel saves by Western goalkeeper Samantha St. Croix.
Natalie Abbate scored for the Mustangs with a nifty move past a Queen’s defender before finding the back of the net in the 74th minute. Queen’s would respond in the 79th minute on a goal by Morgan Fenton, but that is as close as they would get. Abbate would restore Western’s three-goal lead in the 90th minute with a terrific free kick from right outside the box.
With the win, Western advanced to the Consolation Final Saturday at 4 pm Eastern, and will take on the Ottawa Gee-Gees, who defeated the StFX X-Women 2-0 earlier on Friday.
SF #1: UBC will go for gold after semi-final win over Montreal
In a close 1-0 win over Montreal, the Thunderbirds earned their golden ticket. UBC will play for the 2023 U SPORTS Women’s Soccer Championship on Sunday in Kingston.
At the start of the match, UBC and Montreal traded opportunities on net, but both keepers responded well. Thunderbird Jayda Thompson developed some good chances with her speed, but none dropped in the first half. Justine Lalande also put up some good efforts for Montreal, but she got shut down in both shots on goal.
Then, in the 32nd minute, UBC sent a corner kick sailing to Montreal keeper Kelly Cantin who deflected it for an own goal. With the goal UBC took the lead 1-0.
Late in the first half, Montreal tried to respond with increased pressure in the box, but Dakota Beckett showed some aggressive tending to help the Thunderbirds keep their lead. Her precision in net earned her a shutout match.
In the second half the Carabins laid on the pressure with two solid shots that Dakota Beckett went diving to save. The Thunderbirds reacted with aggression and tallied five foul calls in just over ten minutes. The Carabins, with these free kicks to their advantage, did a good job of keeping the ball in UBC’s end.
Although Montreal kept up their pressure till the last whistle, the Thunderbirds held onto their lead to secure the close 1-0 victory.
With this win, UBC will advance to the gold medal game on Sunday at 3p.m. Eastern. Montreal will play next on Sunday as well in the bronze medal match at 12:30 p.m.
SF #2: Trinity Western blanks Laval to set up all-Canada West championship game
The Trinity Western Spartans topped the Laval Rouge et Or 3-0 in the second semifinal at the 2023 U SPORTS Women’s Soccer Championship Friday, setting up an all-Canada West championship showdown.
The first half was played scoreless, with both teams playing tight defence throughout, and the goalkeepers handling the chances that got through. The best chance of the half went to Laval, when Karyna Fiset hit the goal post on a strong free kick.
The offence picked up in the second half, with both teams trading strong scoring chances early on after the interval.
Trinity Western took control of the game with two great plays off corner kicks just minutes apart. First, Maddie Melnychuk would gather the loose ball from a corner and find the back of the net to open the scoring in the 58th minute. Just two minutes later, Danielle Copper headed the ball in from an Erin Stewart corner kick to double the Spartans’ lead.
The Rouge et Or responded with a strong offensive push, but couldn’t solve the Spartans’ defence or goalkeeper Hannah Miller.
Charity Field would increase Trinity Western’s lead further with a goal in the 80th minute and the Spartans held on the rest of the way for the three-goal win.
With the win, the Spartans ensured a rematch of the Canada West Championship game against the UBC Thunderbirds, this time with the Gladys Bean Memorial Trophy on the line, Sunday at 3 p.m. Eastern.
Laval will also face a familiar opponent with a national medal on the line, as they will face the Montreal Carabins Saturday at 12:30 pm in the Bronze Medal Game.
Sources: https://usports.ca/en/sports/soccer/f/news/2023/11/3696481278/wsoc-csf1
https://usports.ca/en/sports/soccer/f/news/2023/11/3514122512/wsoc-csf2
https://usports.ca/en/sports/soccer/f/news/2023/11/2344130549/wsoc-sf1
https://usports.ca/en/sports/soccer/f/news/2023/11/161534367/wsoc-sf2