The Ontario Colleges Athletics Association (OCAA) Round of 16 fixtures have been established for women's soccer, with eight sudden death matches taking place on Wednesday.
The OCAA soccer playoffs will take on a different format than years past. Eight teams in each division advance to the post-season, competing first in a intra-divisional qualifying round according to seeding, before advancing to an inter-divisional quarter-final on Saturday. The four remaining teams will advance to the OCAA championship, hosted by the top remaining seed.
Each game on Wednesday is a rematch of a regular season tilt played over the last six weeks.
Niagara (2-5-3, 7th West) vs. St. Clair (7-1-2, 2nd West)
Wednesday, Oct. 18 - 3 p.m.
The Niagara Knights and St. Clair Saints last met on the final day of September, with the latter prevailing 3-0.
St. Clair scored the most goals in the West Division during the regular season with 46 in 10 matches. First-year forward Victoria Walsh (Georgetown) led the Saints with 11.
The Knights took OCAA bronze last season, but have a tough challenge ahead of them. Third-year centre back Mia DiPasquale (Port Colborne) is the team's top scorer with four goals.
Loyalist (2-8, 8th East) vs. Seneca (9-1, 1st East)
Wednesday, Oct. 18 - 6 p.m.
The Seneca Sting have been swarming the competition all season, outscoring their opponents 85-5 for an OCAA-best goal differential of 80.
One of those victims were the Loyalist Lancers, who lost to the Sting 10-0 just last Saturday. Fourth-year forward Shanice Alfred (Airdrie, Alta.) tied an OCAA single-game record with nine goals in the match.
First-year midfielder Kalysta Bullis (Trenton) and second-year striker Kendal Mock (Cobourg) share the Loyalist team lead in goals with two each.
Conestoga (4-5-1, 5th West) vs. Redeemer (5-1-4, 4th West)
Wednesday, Oct. 18 - 6 p.m.
The Redeemer Royals are one of a handful of teams that lost just one match during the regular season, and are a perfect 4-0 in October.
The Royals will entertain the Conestoga Condors, a team which they defeated 2-0 on Oct. 3. Second-year forward Emily Walraven (Burlington) scored both goals for Redeemer.
Third-year player Ella Chase (Waterloo) is the top scorer on the Condors with five goals on the season.
George Brown (4-5-1, 6th East) vs. Centennial (7-1-2, 3rd East)
Wednesday, Oct. 18 - 6 p.m.
An all-Toronto playoff match-up will take place in Scarborough as the Centennial Colts battle the George Brown Huskies.
The Colts were riding an unbeaten wave for the entire regular season until they were upended by the Algonquin Wolves in the finale. Centennial remains a dangerous foe, however, outscoring its opponents 51-6.
While the Huskies may not have those credentials, they did open the season with a 1-1 tie against the Colts on Sept. 8. First-year player Elizabeth Maione (Vaughan) scored for the Colts while first-year midfielder Annia Pavli (Toronto) responded for the Huskies.
Sheridan (1-6-3, 8th West) vs. Humber (7-0-3, 1st West)
Wednesday, Oct. 18 - 7 p.m.
Are the Humber Hawks flying under the radar? The defending OCAA champions may not get all the attention in the OCAA rankings, but the Hawks did win their division and remain the only team that has not lost a match in 2023.
Humber will face the Sheridan Bruins for a third time this season. The Hawks won the two previous meetings 5-1 and 2-0 and will aim for a three-game sweep.
Third-year forward Kaitlynn Russell (Mississauga) leads the Hawks with 13 goals. Sheridan does not score a lot, with third-year player Jessica Jagdeo (Malton) the team leader with two goals.
Algonquin (6-3-1, 5th East) vs. Cambrian (6-3-1, 4th East)
Wednesday, Oct. 18 - 7 p.m.
Two teams with identical records square off in what can be termed a rubber match.
The Cambrian Golden Shield defeated the Algonquin Wolves 4-3 back in September, and met for a second time resulting in a scoreless draw. With an offensive breakout in one and a defensive battle in the second, it is anybody's guess how the third meeting will shake out.
Second-year striker Grace Cranston (Sudbury) has scored a dozen goals for the Golden Shield, while fifth-year midfielder Makayla Pearl (Cambridge) led the Wolves with eight.
St. Lawrence (4-6, 7th East) vs. Durham (8-1-1, 2nd East)
Wednesday, Oct. 18 - 7 p.m.
The Durham Lords also scored a ton of goals this season with 60 to their credit. Allowing just seven goals against is equally impressive.
The Lords defeated the St. Lawrence Surge 6-1 back on Sept. 23. Earning a hat trick for Durham was second-year Sage Thomas-Roberts (Toronto).
To avenge this loss, the Surge will most likely rely on the services of second-year midfielder Eli Parsons (Inverary) who scored 10 goals during the regular season.
Fanshawe (4-6, 6th West) vs. Mohawk (6-2-2, 3rd West)
Wednesday, Oct. 18 - 7 p.m.
The Mohawk Mountaineers and Fanshawe Falcons met in the season opener for both teams. This next meeting will bookend the season for the losing team.
Mohawk prevailed 3-0 back on Sept. 9. The Mountaineers were the stingiest defence in the West Division during the regular season, allowing just five goals against.
Offensively, the Mountaineers are led by third-year forward Jaiden Morgan (Burlington) who scored seven goals during the regular season. Third-year midfielder Madilyn Michienzi (London) leads the Falcons with five goals.
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