PETERBOROUGH, Ont. - Fleming College plays host to the 2015 belairdirect Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) Women's Soccer Championship, beginning Thursday.
All three of last year's OCAA medalists return to the big stage, including the defending champion Seneca Sting, silver medalist Algonquin Thunder, and bronze winner Cambrian Golden Shield.
This year's format has been expanded from a final four to an eight-team competition. Four OCAA quarter-final matches take place on Thursday, leading to Friday's semi-finals. The semi-final winners advance to Saturday's gold medal match, while the losing teams play for bronze. Losing teams in the quarter-finals compete in a consolation round.
The other five teams advancing to provincials include host the host Fleming Knights, Fanshawe Falcons, Humber Hawks, St. Clair Saints and Sheridan Bruins.
The OCAA champion along with host Fleming advances to the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association Women's Soccer National Championship in Peterborough, Ont., from Nov. 11-14.
Algonquin Thunder (12-0-0, 1st East)
Algonquin boasts the lone unblemished record in the OCAA as it looks to return to the gold medal match for a third-straight season. It earned a bye into provincials with its first-place finish in the east region.
During the regular season, the Thunder were led by a pair of seven-goal scorers in first-year midfielder Becky Leese (Ottawa) and fourth-year forward Vanessa Macmillan (Ottawa).
Algonquin has 15 OCAA medals in its history, including gold in 2013 and silver last season.
The Thunder open the tournament against the Sheridan Bruins.
Cambrian Golden Shield (8-2-2, 2nd East)
Cambrian defeated Mohawk 3-2 in the qualifying round to secure its spot at provincials. Third-year forward Tiffany Johnson (Val Caron) earned a hat trick, sealing the victory with her final goal in the 82nd minute.
Johnson was among the OCAA leaders in goals during the regular season with 18 in 12 matches.
The Golden Shield are nearly a year removed from their first-ever OCAA medal, winning bronze in 2014.
Cambrian opens provincials against Humber in a rematch of last year's bronze medal match, won by the Golden Shield 1-0.
Fanshawe Falcons (9-1-0, 1st West)
Fanshawe's 4-1 win at St. Clair in the regular season finale clinched first place in the west region for the Falcons, earning them a bye into the championship.
The Falcons are led by second-year player Jade Kovacevic (Georgetown) and her record-breaking 26 goals in 10 regular season matches. The previous OCAA season-best was 20 set by Durham's Katie Watts in 2008.
Fanshawe has won 14 OCAA medals in its history, it's most recent being a silver medal in 2012. The Falcons last won the provincial title back in 2009.
Fanshawe will play Seneca in the quarter-finals on Thursday.
Fleming Knights (2-9-1, 5th East)
Fleming will host two major soccer championships over the next two weeks, beginning with provincials and ending with nationals.
The Knights are led offensively by third-year midfielder Mikenna Huggins (Peterborough) and first-year forward Timara Stuck (Orangeville), both scoring three goals during the regular season.
Fleming has won four OCAA medals in its history, its last coming in 2003 (bronze). The Knights have never won a provincial championship.
Fleming hosts St. Clair in the evening quarter-final match on Thursday.
Humber Hawks (7-2-1, 1st Central)
Humber won the OCAA central title on the final day of the regular season, with an assist by Seneca. As a result, the Hawks earned a bye into the championship.
Fourth-year forward Ashley Osorio (Toronto) scored 10 goals in eight regular season games to lead Humber in scoring.
Humber has won 14 OCAA medals in its history. Humber advanced to the final four last year, dropping the bronze medal match to Cambrian, its quarter-final opponent on Thursday.
The Hawks won three straight OCAA crowns between 2010 and 2012.
St. Clair Saints (9-1-0, 2nd West)
After suffering its first defeat of 2015 in the regular season finale against Fanshawe, St. Clair was forced to win in the qualifying round to secure its bid for provincials.
It did just that, defeating Niagara at home 3-1 with a pair of late markers. Fourth-year forward Tiffany Trembley (Tecumseh) broke a 1-1 deadlock in the 89th minute, her 13th goal in 11 matches (including the regular season).
St. Clair has won one gold, one silver and one bronze medal at provincials, all coming in the previous century. Since earning bronze in 1999, the Saints are on a 15-year medal drought.
The Saints hope to quench their thirst this week, beginning with a meeting with host Fleming on Thursday.
Seneca Sting (5-2-3, 3rd Central)
The defending OCAA champions had to earn a berth to provincials the hard way, defeating St. Lawrence-Kingston 3-0 in the qualifying round.
Fourth-year forward Mariam El-Masri (Scarborough) scored two times in the qualifier, adding to her 10 goals in nine regular season matches. Fifth-year defender Hilda Chmait (Mississauga) scored once, adding to her nine goals in 10 regular season matches.
The Sting have won half a dozen OCAA medals in their history. Seneca opens provincials against Fanshawe on Thursday.
Sheridan Bruins (6-1-3, 2nd Central)
Sheridan missed out on an opportunity to finish in first place in the central outright, needing a win over Seneca in its regular season finale. A 1-1 draw forced Sheridan to host a qualifier against Conestoga, won by the Bruins 3-2.
Fourth-year midfielder Kendra Cooper (Brampton) and second-year midfielder Arianna Mouratidis (Mississauga) were the co-leaders in goals for Sheridan during the regular season with five each.
Sheridan has not won an OCAA medal in nearly a decade, its last coming in the form of silver in 2005. The Bruins have won one gold, one silver and one bronze in their history, winning their only OCAA title in 1984.
Sheridan opens the tournament on Thursday against Algonquin.
Championship Website: www.flemingknights.ca/content/ocaa-womens-soccer-2015/
Live Webcast: www.youtube.com/user/KnightsFleming/live
Championship Schedule
Thursday, October 29
Quarter-Finals
Game #1: Sheridan vs. Algonquin - 9 a.m.
Game #2: Cambrian vs. Humber - 12 p.m.
Game #3: Seneca vs. Fanshawe - 3 p.m.
Game #4: St. Clair vs. Fleming - 6 p.m.
Friday, October 30
Consolation Round
Game #5: Loser Game #1 vs. Loser Game #2 - 9 a.m.
Game #6: Loser Game #3 vs. Loser Game #4 - 12 p.m.
Semi-Finals
Game #7: Winner Game #1 vs. Winner Game #2 - 3 p.m.
Game #8: Winner Game #3 vs. Winner Game #4 - 6 p.m.
Saturday, October 31
Consolation Final
Game #9: Winner Game #5 vs. Winner Game #6 - 9 a.m.
Bronze Medal Match
Game #10: Loser Game #7 vs. Loser Game #8 - 12 p.m.
Winning team presented OCAA Bronze Medal at conclusion of match
Gold Medal Match
Game #11: Winner Game #7 vs. Winner Game #8 - 2:30 p.m.
OCAA Gold and Silver Medals presented at conclusion of match
- OCAA -
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