CIS men's soccer Saturday roundup: No. 9 Varsity Blues snap No. 3 Ravens’ win streak

The X-Women soccer team opened up and scored 8 goals over two days en route to consecutive wins this past weekend. Friday evening, StFX topped the Cape Breton Capers 4-1, and followed that up with a 4-0 shutout over the UNB Varsity Reds Saturday afternoon. Both games were played at StFX Oland Stadium.
 
X-Women head coach Trevor Reddick was pleased with his teams' play, commenting “I thought we played very well over all. We generated great scoring chances and we were able to capitalize on quite a few. We were also very solid defensively. We play a possession style of play and we had the majority during both games this weekend which I was pleased to see.”
 
“I thought our work rate was impressive, especially for the first game. Over all I think it's starting to come together for us. It only gets harder from here on in so we have to continue to play smart and with a sense of urgency.”
 
On Friday evening against the Capers, the X-Women were led by strikers Olivia Zanette and Jordan Brass who each scored two goals for the home squad.
 
It was the Capers, however, who opened the scoring in the game as Erika Lannon made good on a penalty kick in the 9th minute after X-Women defender Meaghan Ramsden was assessed a foul. The Capers came out strong in the opening 15 minutes of play.
 
StFX didn't waste any time getting back into the game as Zanette notched her first goal in the 14th minute, volleying in a cross from Maura Woodman who beat a Capers defender to set up the play.
 
Brass scored the game winning goal in the 29th minute after Zanette sent the ball through to her as she broke in and beat Capers goalkeeper Tiffany O'Donnell low in the right corner of the net. Zanette tallied her second goal of the match in the 36th minute to give the X-Women a 3-1 lead at half-time. Brass was again in on the play as she headed the ball across the top of the 18 yard box to Zanette who fired a high, hard shot to the back of the net.
 
The two continued their strong play up front in the second half. The X-Women kept the Capers off the score board for the remaining 45 minutes and Brass added to the X lead in the 82nd minute as chipped a deflected ball in over O'Donnell's head.
 
Maris Miller played well in the StFX net as she recorded 11 saves in the game. The X-Women outshot the Capers 22-18.
 
Zanette earned Subway Player of the Game honors for StFX while Lauren Ferguson was the Capers top player.
 
The X-Women continued their scoring streak on Saturday afternoon as they shutout the visiting UNB Varsity Reds by a 4-0 score. All the goals came in the second half, including two from midfielder Kirsten Desjardins-Lorimer.
 
The two teams played to a scoreless first half. The Varsity Reds had a good scoring chance approximately 30 minutes into the game as Elise Arseneau rang one off the cross bar. Zanette replied with a scoring chance for StFX on the next play down field but was stopped by UNB keeper Jackie Blank.
 
Play in the second half remained scoreless until the 62nd minute when Vanessa Smykalski connected on a broken play and capitalized on an error by the V-Reds keeper to put the X-Women on the board.
 
Desjardins-Lorimer, who entered the game as the second half began, then scored goals just over five minutes apart in the 71st and 76th minutes to put the game out of reach. After StFX keeper Maris Miller made a diving goal-saving save off Brianna Ford, Desjardins-Lorimer's second goal was a timely one. Blank got a hand on the shot but it had enough behind it to find the back of the net.
 
Her second marker was volleyed into the net off a Mallory MacDonnell pass as Blank was screened on the shot.
 
Freshman defender Gabby Bergh added to the StFX lead late in the game in the 89th minute as she scored her first career AUS goal, knocking the ball in the net after a couple of deflections around the box.
 
When extra time ran out, Miller earned the shutout win in nets for the X-Women, her second win in as many days. She had 7 saves as the X-Women outshot the Varsity Reds 15-9.
 
Desjardins-Lorimer was named the Subway Player of the Game for her two-goal effort.
 
With the two wins, the X-Women improve to 6-4-1 on the season with two games remaining on the schedule. Friday night, Oct. 28th they will travel to Sydney, NS for a re-match against the Capers before hosting the Saint Mary's Huskies on Sunday afternoon in Antigonish. Game time is 1:00 pm at Oland Stadium.

Source: StFX Sports Info

Christidis scored his first in the 13th minute of play. Eric Koskins of Richmond Hill, Ont. scored at the 36 minute mark. The Gaels went in the half up 2-0. Only sixteen seconds in to the second half, Christidis scored his second goal, giving the Gaels the 3-0 victory.

The Gaels dominated the game throughout, keeping the ball in the offensive end of play, and allowing only 5 shots on the night. Dylan Maxwell of Vancouver handled them all, recording a shutout on the afternoon.

The victory brings the Gaels record to 7-4-2.

The Gaels play again tomorrow afternoon versus Laurentian University. Kickoff is set for 2:15 at Richardson Stadium.

Source: Queen's Sports Info

KINGSTON, Ont. - The Laurentian Voyageurs travelled to Kingston to face the RMC Paladins. With the season coming to an end, the Voyageurs were looking for a win. Despite some injury worries, the Voyageurs were able to overcome the Paladins and walk away victorious with a 3-0 win.

The first half saw no breakthroughs from either team, with both teams battling hard to take the lead. The Voyageur team had multiple injury concerns and suspensions to deal with, and this led to room for various players to make their first team debuts.

The second half saw Laurentian come out strong, and eventually, the first breakthrough came. Diere Drame (Sudbury, On.) opened the scoring for the Voyageurs, and this is how the score line would remain for a majority of the half, with Laurentian leading the game 1-0. The second breakthrough came in the closing minutes of the game, when Mark Meihm (Barrie, On.) scored his first goal for the Voyageurs and all but secured the points. Finally, to cap off a strong half by the Laurentian team, player of the game Liam Dougherty (Scarborough, On) added a beautiful goal right at the death. Dougherty picked up the ball just outside the Voyageur penalty area, used his pace and dribbling ability to blow by the RMC team and snipe an excellent goal past the Paladin goalkeeper.

The strong showing by the Voyageurs was capped off by a clean sheet by goalkeeper David Szczepaniak (Sault. St. Marie, On), and the emergence of several new players into the line ups were able to rise to the occasion and help their team emerge victorious 3-0 after a hard fought game

Source: Laurentian Sports Info

OTTAWA - The No. 3 nationally ranked Carleton University Ravens men’s soccer team couldn’t find their offence Saturday afternoon, as they were on the wrong side of a 1-0 decision against the No. 9 nationally ranked University of Toronto Varsity Blues at Ravens’ Field.

The loss snapped the Ravens’ seven-game winning streak and allowed the Varsity Blues to overtake them for first place in the OUA East.

Carleton looked good as the game started, forcing a scramble in Toronto’s six-yard box in the opening minute that earned a couple of shots, but no goal.

The Varsity Blues almost found the contest’s first goal in the 24th minute, as Mark Krocko (Ashton, Ont.) was barely able to get his fingers on a shot from 25 yards out that was headed to the bottom right corner.

Toronto managed to solve the Carleton keeper with 17 minutes left before the break.

Midfielder James Greatorex (London, England) fought off his defender and blasted it past Krocko for the eventual game-winning goal.

Carleton almost equalized in the 34th minute. Samuel McHugh (Russell, Ont.) was brought down on his run to the net and awarded a penalty kick, but his low shot didn’t trouble the Toronto keeper.

The Ravens couldn’t muster much offence in the second half and the Varsity Blues held on to their lead by aggressively winning balls and breaking up their opponent’s possessions.

The loss is the Ravens’ third of the season and puts them two points back of the Varsity Blues.

They’ll look to regain first place in the OUA East Sunday, Oct. 23 against the Ryerson University Rams. Game time is at 3:15 p.m.

Source: Carleton Sports Info

GUELPH, Ont. – The Guelph Gryphon men’s soccer team defeated the visiting Windsor Lancers today 2-0 at the Gryphon Soccer Complex.

The game was very open right from the start with both teams wasting no chances to get shots aimed at goal; Windsor's best chances came from corner kicks and long balls, with Guelph goalie Chad Paparoni making four saves in the first half. Guelph created several good chances themselves, putting four shots on target in the half, and seven off the target. The half finished 0-0, but was very open to watch for the many spectators and alumni, recently returned to Guelph for tonight's alumni dinner.

Coach Keith Mason made three changes to the Guelph team at half time, and these changes helped solidify the team defensively such that Windsor's only chances of the half were shot wide of the net and in less dangerous areas.

Guelph on the other hand had an excellent chance to take the lead in the 61st minute when they were awarded a penalty for hand ball in the box, unfortunately the penalty was saved. Guelph would get on the scoreboard 10 minutes later when winger Drew Gowan, who had been excellent throughout the match, broke down the left wing and beat his man before crossing into the box for rookie midfielder Tim Flynn to head in over the Windsor keeper and just under the bar for his second goal of the season.

Guelph had two more excellent chances in the final 20 minutes with both Tim Engert and Alex Biafore going close before Tim Flynn wrapped up the points with a tap in created by great attacking play from Biafore.
 
The Gryphons will play again tomorrow at home, hosting the Waterloo Warriors at 3:15pm. Today’s win means Guelph is now in excellent position to finish second in the OUA West, needing a win tomorrow and some help from Laurier in their game against McMaster. The Gryphons are guaranteed a first round home playoff game and no worst than third place overall

Source: Guelph Sports Info

The University of the Fraser Valley Cascades tied the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns, 2-2, at Bateman Park, in Abbotsford, BC.  The Cascades Canada West regular season record improves to 1-8-2 for 5 points, while Lethbridge’s record improves to 1-9-1 for 4 points.  The Cascades remain in 7th Place, one point ahead of the Pronghorns.

The Cascades started out strong and controlled the early part of the match, winning the loose balls and creating plays that led the game’s first goal by the Cascades Trent Mayer, Abbotsford, BC midway through the first half.  The Pronghorns came to life after UFV’s goal and mounted an attack of their own, as Shlomo Swan-Azman, Medicine Hat, Alberta scored his second of the year to tie the match five minutes after the Cascades’ goal.  The match was tied at the break.

In the second half, UFV continued to pressure Lethbridge’s defense but led by the Pronghorn’s goalkeeper Colin Pattison, Calgary, Alberta the Cascades could not score the go ahead goal.  Again it was the Pronghorns who took advantage of the young Cascade defense and  after a barrage of shots on Cascade goalkeeper Jacob Kubanski, Chilliwack, BC, a Lucas Rajcic, Lethbridge, Alberta bounced off a Cascade defender past Kubanski to give the Pronghorns the lead ten minutes into the half. 

The lead would stand up until the 88th minute when the referee called Lethbridge for a penalty for taking down Craig Robinson, Abbotsford, BC in the box.  Sasa Plavsic, Coquitlam, BC scored his 5th of the season off the penalty shot and the match ending tied at two.

“I was proud of the guys today!  We played hard and rebounded from a the goal loss to Lethbridge a couple weeks back,” said Alan Errington UFV Head Coach. “Our young defense played well and continues to grow, they made a difference today.”

Source: UFV Sports Info