November 6, 2006
OTTAWA CAPTURES OUA TITLE WITH 1-0 WIN
KINGSTON - Laurel Fougere's (Halifax, NS) first career goal in the 57th minute was all that the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees needed as they upset the Queen's University Golden Gaels 1-0 to capture the 2006 Ontario University Athletics (OUA) women's soccer championship Sunday at Richardson Stadium in Kingston.
It was the sixth time in the past decade that the Gee-Gees have been crowned champions of the association.
The Gee-Gees dominated the first half, as their continuous attack kept the Gaels hemmed in their half of the field for the majority of the period.
Ottawa continued its attack in the opening minutes of the second half, pressing the Gaels and creating scoring opportunities. That pressure almost paid off in the 51st minute as Val May headed a ball that just missed beating Queen's goalkeeper Katie McKenna.
But McKenna's luck would run out six minutes later as Fougere took the winning shot from the right wing two strides inside the 20-yard box. The attack handcuffed the Queen's keeper, as it deflected off of her hands, hit the crossbar and dropped into the net.
Ottawa outshot Queen's 4-1, as Kat Vulic posted her third shutout of the playoffs. Her only test came in the 74th minute when Jennifer Pentesco got loose inside the 6-yard box only to be stymied by the Oakville native.
"I think that the first half was the tell-tale sign for today's game," said Gee-Gees head coach Steve Johnson after the victory. "We played into the wind during the opening 45-minutes and dominated territorially. We held them to without a shot and at half-time we knew that it was going to be easier to create opportunities with the wind in the final half."
With the victory, the Gee-Gees finish OUA conference play with an overall record of 14-1-5 including four post-season victories.
Up next for the Garnet and Grey is the opening game of the 2006 Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) championship on Thursday in Victoria, British Columbia. The Gee-Gees will open the tournament against the defending national champion University of Victoria Vikes in a rematch of last year's gold medal game, won by Victoria 3-0. Game time is set for 6 p.m. eastern time (3 p.m. local) at Centennial Stadium.
(Source: Ottawa Sports Information.)
(Photo by Changuk Sohn.)
LIONS CAPTURE BRONZE
For the second straight season, the York Lions women's soccer team is heading to the CIS National Championship. The squad advanced with a 1-0 win over the Western Mustangs in the OUA bronze medal match on Sunday at Queen's. First-year defender Samantha Browne scored her first as a Lion and was named York's player of the match. Aurelea Gumiela made three saves for her 13th shutout of the year.
In soggy, overcast and windy conditions at Richardson Stadium in Kingston, the Mustangs had the wind at their back in the opening half and used it to their advantage. Only nine minutes in, midfielder Kate Crowley tested Gumiela with a curling left-footer from 20-yards out. After earning the first corner of the game one minute later, Western had its best chance of the match to score. Off the corner, forward Alecia DeBoeck directed a header towards the Lions goal, but it was cleared off the goal line by midfielder Stephanie Junkin.
Late in the opening half, second-year forward Jessica Herman tested Gumiela with a long range effort that skipped once before finding the arms of the Lions netminder. Playing into the wind, York failed to get a shot on goal, while Western had three.
The second half proved to be a different story, as the wind aided the Lions attack. In the 50th-minute, all-star striker April Noga headed a corner just wide of the near post. Two minutes later, Stefani Vescio chipped a shot from the top of the box wide of the opposite post. Browne had her first good chance during the 56th-minute, firing a bullet from 30 yards out that just sailed over the crossbar. Moments later, off a York corner, Western was penalized for a handball. Browne took the free kick, curling a right-footer towards the goal that went off a body in front for the game-winner.
Late in regulation, the Mustangs pushed forward in search of the equalizer. The best chance came in injury time, when netminder Mary Regan pushed forward to take a free kick from just inside the Lions half. Gumiela had to battle through bodies to punch away the dangerous long range effort.
Regan finished with three saves, all coming in the second half.
York now heads to Victoria for the CIS National Championship which will be played November 9-12. The Lions first game will be at 12pm at Victoria's Centennial Stadium against the Canada West winner (either UBC or Trinity Western).
(Source: York Sports Information.)
It was the sixth time in the past decade that the Gee-Gees have been crowned champions of the association.
The Gee-Gees dominated the first half, as their continuous attack kept the Gaels hemmed in their half of the field for the majority of the period.
Ottawa continued its attack in the opening minutes of the second half, pressing the Gaels and creating scoring opportunities. That pressure almost paid off in the 51st minute as Val May headed a ball that just missed beating Queen's goalkeeper Katie McKenna.
But McKenna's luck would run out six minutes later as Fougere took the winning shot from the right wing two strides inside the 20-yard box. The attack handcuffed the Queen's keeper, as it deflected off of her hands, hit the crossbar and dropped into the net.
Ottawa outshot Queen's 4-1, as Kat Vulic posted her third shutout of the playoffs. Her only test came in the 74th minute when Jennifer Pentesco got loose inside the 6-yard box only to be stymied by the Oakville native.
"I think that the first half was the tell-tale sign for today's game," said Gee-Gees head coach Steve Johnson after the victory. "We played into the wind during the opening 45-minutes and dominated territorially. We held them to without a shot and at half-time we knew that it was going to be easier to create opportunities with the wind in the final half."
With the victory, the Gee-Gees finish OUA conference play with an overall record of 14-1-5 including four post-season victories.
Up next for the Garnet and Grey is the opening game of the 2006 Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) championship on Thursday in Victoria, British Columbia. The Gee-Gees will open the tournament against the defending national champion University of Victoria Vikes in a rematch of last year's gold medal game, won by Victoria 3-0. Game time is set for 6 p.m. eastern time (3 p.m. local) at Centennial Stadium.
(Source: Ottawa Sports Information.)
(Photo by Changuk Sohn.)
LIONS CAPTURE BRONZE
For the second straight season, the York Lions women's soccer team is heading to the CIS National Championship. The squad advanced with a 1-0 win over the Western Mustangs in the OUA bronze medal match on Sunday at Queen's. First-year defender Samantha Browne scored her first as a Lion and was named York's player of the match. Aurelea Gumiela made three saves for her 13th shutout of the year.
In soggy, overcast and windy conditions at Richardson Stadium in Kingston, the Mustangs had the wind at their back in the opening half and used it to their advantage. Only nine minutes in, midfielder Kate Crowley tested Gumiela with a curling left-footer from 20-yards out. After earning the first corner of the game one minute later, Western had its best chance of the match to score. Off the corner, forward Alecia DeBoeck directed a header towards the Lions goal, but it was cleared off the goal line by midfielder Stephanie Junkin.
Late in the opening half, second-year forward Jessica Herman tested Gumiela with a long range effort that skipped once before finding the arms of the Lions netminder. Playing into the wind, York failed to get a shot on goal, while Western had three.
The second half proved to be a different story, as the wind aided the Lions attack. In the 50th-minute, all-star striker April Noga headed a corner just wide of the near post. Two minutes later, Stefani Vescio chipped a shot from the top of the box wide of the opposite post. Browne had her first good chance during the 56th-minute, firing a bullet from 30 yards out that just sailed over the crossbar. Moments later, off a York corner, Western was penalized for a handball. Browne took the free kick, curling a right-footer towards the goal that went off a body in front for the game-winner.
Late in regulation, the Mustangs pushed forward in search of the equalizer. The best chance came in injury time, when netminder Mary Regan pushed forward to take a free kick from just inside the Lions half. Gumiela had to battle through bodies to punch away the dangerous long range effort.
Regan finished with three saves, all coming in the second half.
York now heads to Victoria for the CIS National Championship which will be played November 9-12. The Lions first game will be at 12pm at Victoria's Centennial Stadium against the Canada West winner (either UBC or Trinity Western).
(Source: York Sports Information.)
