OAKVILLE, Ont. - While the world of sports can be viewed through a prism of all three tenses -- the past is a testament to prior performance, while the future is a harbinger of potential not yet realized -- ultimately it is the present that dictates how each is perceived.

So even though the Sheridan Bruins men's soccer team (7-1-1 OCAA) did not have the past on their side in a quarter-final clash with Algonquin -- indeed, the six-time defending OCAA champions have held a sizable advantage over the Double-Blue in recent years -- their stout defensive effort and opportunistic touch on the attack in the present means that they will have a future, advancing to the semi finals on the strength of a 2-0 victory.

"There's no question that Algonquin has that history of winning and winning the big games -- especially against us -- but I've had all the confidence in our guys this year to be where we are," head coach Tony Silvestri said. "We started off a little rocky today, I think maybe some nerves were setting in, but once we started moving the ball a little bit the guys gained some confidence. Scoring that goal when we did was a huge energy boost for us and, I think, a little bit of a shocker to Algonquin and after that our guys settled in nicely and started playing some good possession soccer."

The first goal came in the 36th minute and was nearly a carbon copy of the goal scored at Humber. David Velastegui launched the ball into the Algonquin 18-yard box from just inside the half and Jonathan Costa ran onto it and headed it home.

The scoreline would remain that way for the duration of the frame and when Algonquin emerged from the dressing room for the second half, they seemed to do so with a renewed sense of urgency, pouring on the offensive pressure and winning several corner kicks as a result.

In the 67th minute -- with all of Algonquin's back line pushed into Sheridan territory -- the Bruins added an insurance marker when a ball was cleared out of danger and Cameo Ellis gathered it just inside the Algonquin half. He held off his defender, carried the ball inside the 18-yard box from the left wing and slotted it into the bottom left corner, just underneath the sprawling arm of the keeper.

Silvestri says it was key moment for the club that spurred them to their end result.

"Everyone was on edge in the second half, so popping that goal in was big for us," he said, "Algonquin was pushing up so much that it created some good opportunities and we got a good counter attack."

In the following minutes the Bruins had two more brilliant chances to find the net -- in the 70th minute a Marco Colangelo cross from the right wing just eluded finding a friendly foot and in the 79th minute a back heel flick from Velastegui trickled wide -- but neither could find the mark.

In the game's final 10 minutes Algonquin made a valiant last stand, pouring the pressure on once again but the Bruin defence and particularly goalkeeper Antonio Ilic -- who in the 80th minute made a lunging save from point-blank range and then corralled the ensuing corner kick -- were up to the task.

The Bruins will now face Seneca -- the reigning national champions, who posted a 6-0-2 mark this year and won the OCAA East regular season crown, defeated Fanshawe 3-1 in their quarter-final -- and Silvestri says that even though he still doesn't believe his club has put together a full 90-minute performance yet, they are rounding their way there.

"I really saw some focus in their eyes today right from the warm up," he said. "I barely had to say anything to them, they were doing everything on their own so you can definitely tell it's a progression and the guys are really starting to get themselves focused on what we need to do. At this point there's not a lot we can do as coaches -- just keep them focused in practice -- and when it comes to game time it's up to them. They're the ones that will have to prove how badly they want it."

Blue notes: A steady and sometimes driving rain fell throughout the duration of the game. It marks the fifth time in nine OCAA contests this year that the Bruins have played in rainy -- or at least wet from prior rain -- conditions.

Source: Sheridan Bruins