Matt Dionne | Sports and Health Editor
Featured image: It was déjà vu for the Mustangs, as York put up three goals for a second consecutive match against Western. | Courtesy of York Lions
The Lions men’s and women’s soccer teams kicked off the 2016 Ontario University Athletics playoffs on Sunday, as the women faced off against Windsor and the men against Western.
The women played first in frigid temperatures at Alumni Field under an overcast sky. The temperatures may have had an impact on play, which consisted of a lot of turnovers in the first few minutes.
However, after the players got settled, the sloppiness abated.
York had plenty of chances in the first half, but the Windsor goalkeeper did a fantastic job and kept the score tied at 0-0.
In the second half, Windsor came out aggressive, but York’s Taylor Grant made several crucial saves to keep the Lancers off the board. Both teams traded opportunities, but neither could find the back of the net.
In the 90th minute, a Windsor shot was saved by Grant, however a huge rebound bounced right to a nearby Lancer, who was staring at an empty net and a chance to score the game-winning goal.
Fortunately for the Lions, defender Tomika McIntosh was in the right place to block the shot before it crossed the goal line and clear the ball out of danger.
After 90 minutes, the score was still tied, so we headed to overtime. Neither team could break the stalemate in the extra 30 minutes, so penalty kicks were needed.
Because they were the home team, York shot first. Striker Nour Ghoneim stepped into the box for the first shot. Unfortunately for York, the Lancers’ keeper guessed correctly, stopping Ghoneim’s shot and sending a wail of disappointment through the crowd of Lions fans.
Windsor’s Cassie Chretien was next to shoot, and she made no mistake, deftly placing the ball in the bottom-left corner to give the Lancers the lead.
York’s Farkhunda Muhtaj was next to shoot, but unfortunately she was unable to hit the net, and her teammates watched in agony as the ball sailed harmlessly over the crossbar.
The Lancers’ next shooter, Giulia Barile, was able to beat Grant as well, giving Windsor a two-goal advantage. A sense of dread was visibly building among Lions fans, as many of them had vacated their seats in order to get a closer view of the action.
York’s next shooter was McIntosh, who prevented a Windsor goal. The Lions looked to her to get them back into the shootout. She delivered once again, beating the keeper on the left side to score York’s first goal of the shootout and the match.
York desperately needed a stop on Windsor’s next shot, but Grant was unable to make the save, and the Lancers’ Chelsea Zavitz went left-side again for Windsor’s third goal.
The pressure was on York’s Peyton Lozzi, as Windsor’s first three goals meant York would have to score on the remainder of their shots to have a chance. Fortunately for York, the fifth-year striker had ice water in her veins, deftly placing the ball in the bottom-left corner to extend York’s season for another shot.
Now Windsor was in a position to win. Jaclyn Faraci stepped into the box as everyone on the sidelines held their breath in anticipation. Fans cheered on Grant, willing her to make a save and extend the Lions season. Unfortunately, she was unable to do so, and the Lancers scored again, sealing the victory.
In the men’s game, the first half was much the same as the women’s, as neither team could find the back of the net.
Just when it looked like overtime would be needed again, Lions’ forward Milan Beader scored his eighth goal of the season to put York in front 1-0.
That appeared to be the spark the men were looking for, as the Lions would add two more late goals to make the score 3-0 and emerge victorious.
“We found a way to break them down, we found a way to get in behind and we found a way to score goals,” says Carmine Isacco, head coach of both Lions teams.
The men’s next game will be a semifinal match on November 5 against the U of T Varsity Blues.
