November 2, 2014

Gee-Gees claim 8th OUA title in win over Mustangs

For the second time in three seasons, the CIS no. 1-ranked Ottawa Gee-Gees are champions of the province, defeating the no. 5 Western Mustangs 1-0 at Ron Joyce Stadium in Hamilton.

Western 0-1-0

Ottawa 1-0-0

Final

Western (0-1-0)

Ottawa (1-0-0)

For the second time in three seasons, the CIS no. 1-ranked Ottawa Gee-Gees are champions of the province, defeating the no. 5 Western Mustangs 1-0 at Ron Joyce Stadium in Hamilton.

Having not lost since their season opener against the UOIT Ridgebacks, Ottawa continued to dominate conference play posting back-to-back 1-0 victories in the OUA Final Four en route to capturing a record eighth OUA title.

"It truly was a team effort," said Ottawa head coach Steve Johnson "We are more of a team this year than perhaps other years. Other years we may have had more individual talent, but collectively this team has really performed well all season."

Pilar Khoury was named Player of the Game in both matches, scoring Ottawa's lone goal in each win.

While she did not start the game against Western, leading some to question whether it was due to an injury or just a tactical decision, Khoury subbed into the game shortly after the midway mark of the first half and provided the strong play that earned a MVP award this season.

The Gee-Gees scoring play came in the game's 57^th minute and started with a well-placed kick from defender Maris Barnabe. From 30 yards out, Barnabe delivered a curving boot into the box that Khoury was able to strike with a beautifully-placed header into the right side of the net past Mustangs goalkeeper Tori Edgar.

The Mustangs struggled to create offensive chances in the second half, but nearly tied the game in the 85^th minute.

A crossing pass was sent from the side of the field and made its way to just in front the Gee-Gee's six-yard box. A Mustang player lunged forward and headed the ball right on target, but goalkeeperCynthia LeBlanc made a spectacular diving save that preserved the victory for her team.

Like OUA's other co-leading goal scorer Emily Brown from Laurier, Western's Amanda Boyle was also held scoreless in the championship tournament. Both players tallied 21 regular season goals, but neither could find the back of the net in the Final Four, with their team's being held off the goal sheet in both tournament games (Western beat UOIT on penalty kicks in the semis after playing to a scoreless draw).

The Gee-Gees were without 2013 division MVP Julia Francki after she received a red card in the team's semi-final match against Laurier. Ottawa narrowly escaped the semi-final against Laurier; the Golden Hawks missed a penalty kick in the game's final minutes. Had the penalty kick been successful, the Gee-Gees likely would have been playing for bronze today.

Both Western and Ottawa will now prepare for the CIS National Championship taking place Nov. 6-9 in Quebec City. The Gee-Gees head into the CIS tournament riding a 18-game winning streak.

With the OUA receiving three berths in the 2014 national tournament, the bronze-medal winning UOIT Ridgebacks will also had to Quebec City.