SUDBURY, Ont. - For the second straight year, the Algonquin Thunder and Humber Hawks will duke it out for OCAA women's soccer supremacy, as both teams survived stiff challenges on Friday in Sudbury.
Looking for their third straight provincial title and fourth in the past five years, the Thunder overcame an early 1-0 deficit, with Hailey Martin netting the game winning goal in the 52nd minute of a 2-1 victory over the tenacious Steneca Sting.
Jamie Smith opened the scoring for the latter in the 12th minute, with all-Canadian nominee Melissa Gilligan getting that one back just four minutes later. The 1-1 tie would stand until early in the second half, when Martin parlayed a beautiful set-up from Maddie Kelly into a trip to the championship final for Algonquin.
PLAYERS OF THE GAME
Algonquin Thunder - Hailey Martin
Seneca Sting - Jamie Smith
Things were no easier for the Humber Hawks, who needed an insurance goal from Shaniece Bennett in stoppage time in order to insure their 2-0 shutout of the Fanshawe Falcons. Silver medal winners one year ago after falling 3-1 to Algonquin in the 2016 provincial final, Humber hit the mark in the 73rd minute courtesy of a strike from Rebecca Spratt.
Hawks' netminder Vanessa Fiore recorded her second shutout in as many days as her teammates look the shut down an Algonquin team that has scored a tournament high eight goals in two games.
PLAYERS OF THE GAME
Humber Hawks - Rebecca Spratt
Fanshawe Falcons - Chelsea Zavitz
An emotional 2-1 loss to Seneca the previous evening appeared to take its toll on the Cambrian Golden Shield, ousted from the 2017 OCAA championship following a 2-0 loss Friday afternoon to the Mohawk Mountaineers. The Mountaineers bounced back nicely after a tough setback at the hands of Algonquin on Thursday, breaking the ice in the 21st with a tally from Jessica Johnstone.
Much to the dismay of the hometown crowd, Mohawk would double their advantage early in the second half, with Keigan Curran finding the back of the net. Laura Blackburn would make it stand, maintaining a clean slate that was threatened primarily by a Jenna Schroeder blast that nailed the goal post.
PLAYERS OF THE GAME
Mohawk Mountaineers - Sylvia Lemay
Cambrian Golden Shield - Gabby Conrad
Bronze medallist in 2015, the St Clair Saints will look to return to Windsor as consolation champions after doubling the Durham Lords 4-2 in the opening game of the day. Cassie Nicholas paced the Saints attack with a two goal effort, with Cassandra Rose-Medeiros and Melanie Jubenville chipping in with one marker each.
Aaryn Scott and Natassha Hassenstein replied in a losing cause for Durham, as the Lords opened the scoring but trailed 2-1 at the half. Mohawk and St Clair will kick things off Saturday morning at 9:00 a.m., with the bronze medal affair set for 12:00 p.m. and the gold medal encounter scheduled to begin at 3:00 p.m.
PLAYERS OF THE GAME
St Clair Saints - Cassie Nicholas
Durham Lords - Milinda Roblera
Championship Website: www.ocaa.com/championships/wsoc/2017-18/index
Live Webcast: livestream.com/cambriangoldenshield
Championship Schedule
Thursday, October 26
Quarter-Finals
Game #1: Humber 1, St. Clair 0
Game #2: Fanshawe 2, Durham 0
Game #3: Algonquin 6, Mohawk 0
Game #4: Seneca 2 Cambrian 1
Friday, October 27
Consolation Round
Game #5: St. Clair 4, Durham 2
Game #6: Mohawk 2, Cambrian 0
Semi-Finals
Game #7: Humber 2, Fanshawe 0
Game #8: Algonquin 2, Seneca 1
Saturday, October 28
Consolation Final
Game #9: St. Clair vs. Mohawk - 9 a.m.
Bronze Medal Match
Game #10: Fanshawe vs. Seneca - 12 p.m.
Winning team presented OCAA Bronze Medal at conclusion of match
Gold Medal Match
Game #11: Humber vs. Algonquin - 3 p.m.
OCAA Gold and Silver Medals presented at conclusion of match
Source: Randy Pascal/Cambrian College