TORONTO - Seeing two leads erased, the Fanshawe Falcons made the third lead stand to capture the 2018 OCAA Women's Soccer Championship presented by belairdirect over the Humber Hawks 3-2 in overtime.

Looking for their first OCAA championship since 2009, the Falcons opened the scoring in the 16th minute. OCAA scoring champion Jade Kovacevic received a pass 25 yards out from the goal, showed off a burst of speed to blow by the Humber defender before delivering a strike to the bottom right corner of the goal. The mark was Kovacevic's third of the championship.

Both teams generated great scoring opportunities prior to halftime, but goalkeepers Breanne Carreiro (Fanshawe) and Vanessa Fiore (Humber) were able to rise to the occasion.

With the physical play picking up and the tension mounting, the Hawks scored the equalizer in the 65th minute. A corner kick landed 13 yards out at the front post. A flying header which saw the Hawks player twist in the hard crossed through a maze of players before finding Lily Campbell at the left post. The OCAA Central Division Rookie of the Year struck the ball with her left foot from 12 yards out to the short side of the goal to the elation of her teammates.

In the 82nd minute, the Falcons took a 2-1 lead when a shot from nearly 40 yards out deflected off a Hawks defender, redirecting the shot just enough to evade Fiore who had no way of predicting the deflection.

On the final play of regulation time, the Hawks tied the game. Pressing for the equalizer, Claudia Piazza was taken down just inside the penalty area. On the penalty shot, Giulia Zanardi drove a shot to the bottom left corner of the goal to send the match to extra time.

In the 95th minute, the Falcons regained the lead for the third time. Kovacevic took control of the ball in the left corner of the Hawks end. The OCAA Player of the Year circled back and sent a high pass which landed eight yards out in front of the goal where Nicole Nielsen was in perfect position to head the ball into the goal.

The win was the seventh OCAA women's soccer championship for the Falcons. The Hawks captured the silver medal for the third consecutive year.

Kovacevic was named Player of the Game for the Falcons while Zanardi took the honours for the Hawks.

DURHAM DOMINATES IN CAPTURING BRONZE MEDAL

The Durham Lords played one of their best games of the season in chilly conditions, defeating the Seneca Sting 4-0 to capture the OCAA bronze medal.

After an evenly played first 20 minutes, the Lords started to control the ball more and create scoring chances. In the 26th minute, the Lords struck for the first time off a corner kick. The kick landed a yard in front of the goal line, but the attempted clearing swat by the Sting goalkeeper traveled just a couple yards and came down right to Jacklyn Brzezinski who calmly headed the ball into the goal.

Cory Lapointe increased the Lords lead with a pair of goals in the 57th minute and the 69th minute.

In the 75th minute, the Lords capped off their season with one final goal. A long pass into the 18-yard box was misplayed by the Sting goalkeeper who missed catching the ball. Natassha Hassenstein chased down the ball and kicked it into the open net from a sharp angle for her first goal of the championship.

With the win, the Lords captured the bronze medal, their first OCAA women's soccer medal since 2009. The loss was the third straight in the bronze medal game for the Sting following three consecutive trips to the championship game (2013 to 2015).

Hassenstein was named Player of the Game for the Lords while Cathryn De Castro took the honours for the Sting.

Championship Website: ocaachampionships.com/championships/wsoc/2018-19/index

OCAA Championship Results
Quarter-Finals
Fanshawe def. Algonquin 2-0
Durham def. Niagara 2-1
Seneca def. Cambrian 8-0
Humber def. St. Clair 6-0

Friday, October 26
Consolation Round
Algonquin def. Niagara 3-0
St. Clair def. Cambrian 1-0
Semi-Finals
Fanshawe def. Durham 3-0
Humber def. Seneca 2-1 (PK)

Saturday, October 27
Consolation Final
Algonquin def. St. Clair 3-0
Bronze Medal Match
Durham def. Seneca 4-0
Gold Medal Match
Fanshawe def. Humber 3-2 (OT)

Source: Seneca Sting

- OCAA -

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