WELLAND, Ont. - Niagara College plays host to the 2014 belairdirect Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) Men's Soccer Championship, beginning Friday.

All three teams that were awarded medals last year return to the tournament, including four-time defending provincial and two-time national champion Humber College. The Hawks are joined by defending silver medalist Algonquin College and bronze winner Sheridan College. Durham College rounds out the final four, making its first semi-final appearance since 1999.

The tournament begins with semi-final matches on Friday. All four teams play again on Saturday, with the semi-final winners competing in the gold medal match to determine the provincial champion. The game is preceded by the bronze medal match between the semi-final losing teams.

Three of the four teams will receive an OCAA medal at the conclusion of the tournament. The gold medalist, along with host Sheridan, will advance to the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association Men's Soccer National Championship in Oakville, Ont., from Nov. 5-8. In the event Sheridan wins OCAA gold, the runner-up will move on to nationals.

Sheridan (7-1-1, 2nd West) vs. Algonquin (8-0-0, 1st East)
Friday, Oct. 24 - 11 a.m.

The Sheridan Bruins know they have more soccer to play beyond this weekend, but will aim to enter nationals on a high having not won an OCAA championship since 1992.

The Bruins are the proverbial bridesmaids, having advanced to five of the last six final fours, but without winning the ultimate prize. They lost three times in the gold medal match, and the past two seasons, dropping the semi-final before winning bronze.

Sheridan boasts the top two scorers during the regular season as fifth-year Ecuadorian midfielder David Velastegui scored nine times, one more goal than first-year teammate Raheem Edwards (Toronto). The Bruins were unbeaten in seven straight before losing their regular season finale to St. Clair 3-2. Sheridan rebounded with a 4-1 win over St. Lawrence-Kingston in the quarter-finals.

Algonquin dominated the east region for a fourth straight year, having not lost a regular season match since 2010. The Thunder outscored their opponents 19-2. Algonquin easily handled Niagara in the quarter-finals, winning 7-0.

Third-year Guinean player Abe Kamara scored twice against Niagara after leading his team with five regular season goals.

Despite having both participated in last year's final four, this is the first playoff meeting between the teams since the 2012 quarter-finals, won by Sheridan 1-0.

Durham (6-2-0, 2nd East) vs. Humber (7-0-2, 1st West)
Friday, Oct. 24 - 2 p.m.

The Durham Lords are partying like it is 1999, advancing to their first OCAA men's soccer semi-final in 15 years.

Durham has won four straight, including a 1-0 decision over St. Clair in the quarter-finals. First-year forward Sasa Vukoje (Etobicoke, Ont.) scored the lone goal after leading the team with four in seven regular season matches. Durham has not lost when Vukoje has scored.

Durham takes on a Humber team that has won four straight provincial titles. Along with Algonquin, Humber is undefeated in 2014, having won four straight matches, including a 3-0 win over Cambrian in the quarter-finals.

Third-year midfielder Jesse Assing (Bethany, Ont.) is the team leader on the Hawks with five goals. Humber showcases a balanced attack on offence with a dozen players scoring at least one goal during the regular season.

The Hawks have an opportunity to tie Algonquin for the most OCAA men's soccer championships at 10. They are also looking to become just the second program to win a third straight national title.

If Sheridan wins the early semi-final, the winner of this match will advance to the CCAA national tournament.

All games will take place at Youngs SportsPlex in Welland, Ont.

Championship Website: www.goknights.ca/2014_OCAA_Mens_Soccer

Live Webcast: www.ocaatv.com

Championship Schedule
Friday, October 24
OCAA Semi-Finals
Algonquin vs. Sheridan - 11 a.m.
Humber vs. Durham - 2 p.m.

Saturday, October 25
Bronze Medal Match
Semi-Final Losing Teams - 11 a.m.
*Winning team presented OCAA Bronze Medal at conclusion of match

Gold Medal Match
Semi-Final Winning Teams - 2 p.m.
*OCAA Gold and Silver Medals presented at conclusion of match

- OCAA -

ABOUT ONTARIO COLLEGES ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION

The Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) is a recognized leader in intercollegiate athletics in the province, dedicated to student athlete and sport development. The OCAA has 30 members sponsoring 11 sports.

For additional information please contact:
Josh Bell-Webster
Marketing and Communications
Ontario Colleges Athletic Association
Tel: 416-426-7041
Fax: 416-426-7308
E-mail: bell-webster@ocaa.com