M-SOCCER ROUNDUP: Ryerson and York remain undefeated with big road wins
Wednesday, September 17
York 3 @ Guelph 1
Guelph, Ont. – The No. 9 Guelph Gryphons men's soccer team lost to the No. 2 York Lions Wednesday with a final score of 3-1 in front of an audience of fans from surrounding elementary schools at the Gryphon Soccer Complex.
The Lions scored three unanswered goals in the second half to earn the win and advance to 6-0-1 on the season, winning their fifth straight game and remain atop the OUA West division. The Gryphons fall to 4-1-2 on the season.
The game got off to a quick start with a save by Gryphon defender Justin Springer (Burlington, Ont.) after a York shot went off the cross bar in the 10th minute of play. York moved the ball down the field but was met with a strong defensive team of Springer, Conor O'Callaghan (North Vancouver), and Stephen Veenema (Ottawa).
The intensity of the game escalated with the first yellow card issued to York in the 17th minute. Guelph offensive duo Timothy Flynn (Scarborough, Ont.) and Jared Agyemang (Brampton, Ont.) were able to push the play into the Lions' end with help from their defensive line. In the 42nd minute Flynn had a breakaway and passed to Agyemang to complete a beautiful goal to put Guelph up by one and earn Agyemang his fifth goal of the season to lead the Gryphons in scoring.
Unfortunately, the Gryphons were unable to maintain their lead in the second half, with York scoring three straight unanswered goals. The Lions scored off of a penalty kick, off the goal post and a final goal as the ball got caught up in players' feet in front of the net.
Source: Guelph Gryphons
Brock 1 @ Laurier 1
Waterloo, Ont. – The Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks men's soccer team played to a 1-1 draw with the Brock Badgers on Wednesday night at University Stadium.
Playing in just their second home game of the season, the Hawks (3-2-2) received a 65th minute tally from Tyrrel Wilson of Hamilton, to draw even with the Badgers (0-4-3). Brock had taken the lead just three minutes earlier on a strike from Philip Kealey of St. Catharines, Ont.
For Wilson, the goal was his sixth of the season that pulled him into a tie for second place in conference scoring along with teammate Anastasios Sitaridis of Toronto.
In a game that was mostly controlled by the purple and gold, Badgers keeper Jake Sweetzer of Mississauga, Ont., kept his team in the game by making seven saves. Julien John of Oakville, Ont., was the keeper of record for the Hawks as he made four saves on the day.
Source: Laurier Golden Hawks
Ryerson 2 @ UOIT 0
Oshawa, Ont. – Despite one of their strongest efforts of the season, the UOIT men's soccer team fell 2-0 to the No. 4 ranked Ryerson Rams on Wednesday night at Vaso's Field.
UOIT is now 1-3-2 on the year but remains in a tie for fifth place with the Nipissing Lakers. Ryerson improves to 6-0-0 to start the season, as they sit in first place in the OUA eastern conference. Ryerson has been dominant this season having recorded shutouts in four of their six conference match-ups.
The Ridgebacks would push Ryerson to the brink in the first half of the game, as they outshot the Rams 7-4 and had several scoring opportunities. UOIT striker Joe Vaz (Whitby, Ont.) had an outstanding opportunity to open the scoring, but Ryerson goalkeeper Praveen Ahilan made an incredible diving stop to keep the game scoreless. At the other end of the field, UOIT goalkeeper Travis Martin (Whitby, Ont.) was not to be outdone as he stopped Ryerson's Misel Kilsara on a penalty kick in the 43rd minute, to keep the game scoreless heading into halftime.
With UOIT back on their heels in the second half, Ryerson would finally manage to open up scoring in the 77th minute, when Kyle Stewart redirected in a free kick taken by Kilsara. The Rams would add some insurance seven minutes later as Luka Lee beat Martin, as the goal came immediately after a controversial offside call at the other end of the field.
UOIT would end up outshooting the nationally ranked Rams by a 14-12 margin, but had one less shot on target over the course of the game. Martin would finish the night with four saves while Ahilan had five, going on to earn his first shutout of the season.
Source: UOIT Ridgebacks
Toronto 4 @ Trent 0
The University of Toronto Varsity Blues men's soccer team defeated the Trent Excalibur 4-0 on Wednesday night (Sept. 17) in Peterborough, Ont.
With the win, the Blues improve to 3-2-1 and sit in fourth place in the OUA East division.
Second-year standout Russell Rodrigues (Scarborough) opened the scoring, notching the eventual game-winner in the 25th minute.
Team co-captain and fifth-year veteran Mario Kovacevic (Woodbridge) put the Blues up by two in the 36th minute, scoring his first goal of the season.
U of T leading scorer Kilian Elkinson (Toronto) added his seventh of the season in the 42nd minute and Toronto was up 3-0 at the half.
Elkinson added his second of the game and OUA-leading eighth of the year in the 61st minute.
Blues goalkeeper Mark Rogal posted two saves in the win.
The Varsity Blues return to the pitch this Saturday, September 20 as they host the RMC Paladins at Varsity Centre. Game time is set for 3:15 p.m. Admission is free and open to the public and the game will also be streamed live on OUA.tv.
Source: Toronto Varsity Blues
Other Scores: RMC 0 @ Carleton 5
