W-SOCCER ROUNDUP: UOIT Ridgebacks settle comfortably into playoff spot
October 3 – Laurier @ Brock
ST.CATHARINES, Ont. – The Brock University women's soccer team (1-8-0) were defeated by the No. 3 ranked Laurier Golden Hawks (8-0-2 OUA) by the score of 2-0 Wednesday afternoon at home.
The Hawks controlled the possession right from the start and at the four minute mark Krista Cellucci grabbed the first one for the away side, registering her sixth goal of the season.
Despite mixed lapses of possession between the two teams, Laurier took a two-goal lead in the 28th minute as Julie Maheu added her third goal of the campaign.
Unfortunately, it would be more bad news for the Badgers as defender Sara Vitaterna (Niagara Falls, Ont.) walked off the field injured after a very solid performance.
In the second half, Brock showed great spirit against the nationally ranked Hawks and held them scoreless for the entire half. The Badgers played a tough defensive game, but could not get anything going offensively being outshot 12-1.
Brock senior goalkeeper Luciana Di Paolo (Newmarket, Ont.) was outstanding in net recording 10 saves in the loss. Laurier keeper Katrina Ward collected one save for the shutout victory.
Source: Brock Sports Info
Guelph @ UOIT
OSHAWA, Ont. – The UOIT Ridgebacks women’s soccer team earned a 1-0 shutout victory over the Guelph Gryphons on Wednesday night at Vaso’s Field.
Sierra Bulger of Oshawa, Ont. continued her hot streak as she scored the game’s lone goal during the 56th minute.
After Jennifer Dunn of Guelph took a yellow card at midfield, Kylie Bordeleau (Cambridge, Ont.) lobbed the free kick into the box. Guelph was unable to clear the ball and Bulger turned and buried it in the bottom right corner.
Bulger has scored four goals in her last five games, as she leads all Ridgebacks in scoring this season.
Melissa Linton of Cobourg, Ont. made five saves for her fourth shutout of the season. Dunn had a great chance to tie the game with five minutes remaining, but Linton made the key save without allowing a rebound to end Guelph’s comeback effort.
Guelph keeper Alexandra King stopped eight of nine Ridgeback shots.
The Ridgebacks (4-5-2) have 14 points and sit in sixth place trailing the Gryphons (4-3-3) by one point. Waterloo (2-7-1) is in seventh place with seven points.
Source: UOIT Sports Info
Ryerson @ Trent
PETERBOROUGH - The Ryerson Rams women's soccer team dropped their first of three games this week, a 1-0 decision against the Trent Excalibur on Wednesday evening. The Rams' record falls to 1-9-1 with the loss.
Ryerson had a strong first half and before the match was ten minutes old, several Rams gathered within the 18 yard box and threatened to get an early goal but could not manage a shot on target.
At the twelve minute mark Trent's Krissy Boyles (Peterborough, Ont.) took a free kick from the corner of the 18 yard box and chipped a shot over the four-person wall but Rams goalkeeper Katrina Persson-Thomas (Vancouver, B.C.) got over to make the save.
The Rams have been hurt on set plays numerous times this season and the defence of the early Trent opportunity seemed to give Ryerson a boost of confidence as they began to dominate the next portion of the half.
Ryerson applied strong pressure from the midfield to win a lot of balls and keep possession within Trent's third of the field.
In the 15th minute Elyse Hanec (Calgary, Alta.) took a great forward ball from Kristen Horgan Smith (Newmarket, Ont.) to gain space down the right flank. Hanec cut back towards the middle of the field but could not get a shot off with her left foot before an additional Trent defender arrived.
Trent's best opportunity of the half came in the 35th minute following a scramble play. A free kick was awarded at the top of the box but Shannon O'Brien (Peterborough, Ont.) saw her attempt go directly into the wall and Ryerson was able to clear the ball easily.
A streaking Leah Semeniuk (Whitby, Ont.) swung a strong cross from the left wing but a Trent defender got her head on the ball to knock it away from danger in the 42nd minute. Just before the end of the first half, defender Lianna Woollard (Scarborough, Ont.) jumped up into the play to send another cross into the box but it was cleared off the back line, forcing a corner kick. The Rams used a short corner play which generated another entry ball but it was easily cleared by the Excalibur to end the half.
Trent started the second half with a lucky goal as a high floating ball dropped into the box. Persson-Thomas could not squeeze the ball to contain it and Jennifer Powless (Newtonville, Ont.) tapped home the game's only goal in the 49th minute.
The goal seemed to take the wind out of Ryerson's sails as they could not generate quite the same quality of chances as they did in the first half. The Rams began to stack their formation with offensive players in search for a goal, but none of the combinations coach Souter tried could find an equalizer.
An Erica Huculak (Barrie, Ont.) shot from the right wing in the 80th minute was the last chance the Rams would get, but Trent keeper Emily Webb (Peterborough, Ont.) smothered the ball, preventing any of the hovering Rams from getting their foot on it.
Source: Ryerson Sports Info
