TORONTO - The Ryerson Rams women's soccer team battled through a hard fought 90 minutes on Sunday to take home a point in a 0-0 draw against their inner-city rivals the Toronto Varsity Blues.
BOXSCORE
The Rams and the Varsity Blues headed into Sunday with a number of similarities. Both squads call the same city home and prior to the game's first touch, the OUA's two Toronto clubs sported an identical record of 2-4, the same amount of points with six, and shared the sixth place spot in a competitive East division.
Although some statistical numbers changed after Sunday's draw, the scoreless bout will be added to the file for the argumentative case that both teams remain as even as it gets.
The Varsity Blues did an excellent job in clogging up the mid-field early, which led to complete control in possession after countless turnovers from the Rams.
The Rams countered however with precise defensive positioning and a body on ball mentality that steered aside a number of quality U of T scoring chances.
Rams midfielder Alessia Carvalho led by example for much of the first half. She pushed the pace for the Rams and created a couple close calls offensively from within the box. Defender Jalen Simms then checked into the game in the 28th minute and created quite a rapport with mid-fielder Soraya El-houni on both ends of the ball.
After a stale first half offensively for the Rams, the women in blue began to find a way to penetrate the mid-field with toe-to-toe passes and quick decision-making. Varsity Blues goalkeeper Tori Edgar was on top of her game in this one, stopping all three of the Rams shots in the draw.
Varsity Blues leading striker Natasha Klasios came into Sunday's game having scored five of the Varsity Blues eight goals to start the year. Klasios' first quality chance of the match came in the 60th minute, when the Unionville, Ont. native sent an off balanced dribbler just wide of the far the post. Less than 10 minutes later, Klasios was at it again. Rams starting goalkeeper Elisa Lapadula stormed out of the crease and challenged a sprinting Klasios, who beat Lapadula with a quick dribble before sending it across to fellow striker Alexandra Rocha, who ringed it off the post of a keeper free net.
The 84th minute had more hardware heroics. Klasios tapped the ball in order to tee it up just right before sending a rocket off the crossbar from 30 yards out. Rams keeper Lapadula looked to the sky in appreciation for the assistance, as she remained perfect in the draw finishing the match with two saves.
The Rams and the Varsity Blues now hold records of 2-4-1 and remain tied for sixth in the East with seven points on the year.
The Varsity Blues will travel to Kingston, Ont this coming weekend to meet up with the Royal Military College of Canada and Queen's University for inner division battle.
The Rams will do the same but flipped as they face Queen's on Saturday and RMC on Sunday. The Queen's game is scheduled for a 1:00 p.m. start at Miklas-McCarney Field and their match with RMC is set for a 3:15 p.m. first touch at Navy Bay.