Uzodinma Ukagwu | Sports Editor
Featured Image: Maurizio Ragone assisted Eddie Lay’s game winner, as the Lions would go on to beat Waterloo 5-1. | Courtesy of YorkU Lions
The Lions men’s and women’s soccer teams travelled to Guelph to face the Gryphons on Friday, then returned home to face the Waterloo Warriors on Sunday, in what turned out to be a busy weekend.
The Lions were victorious in three out of four games, with the only loss coming in the women’s first game of the weekend.
On Friday, the women had a chance to take three points off the current OUA West leaders, the Gryphons. However, they were unable to do so, as they lost 1-0.
The men took to the field next against the same opponents, and escaped with a 1-0 victory. The lone goal for the Lions came in the second half at the 57th minute, courtesy of midfielder Jorgo Nika.
The Sunday games were the last home matches of the regular season for both teams. They each won by a landslide against the Waterloo Warriors—4-0 for the women, and 5-1 for the men.
Both games on Sunday were preceded by a ceremony recognizing the graduating seniors of the teams. On the women’s team, midfielders Farkhunda Muhtaj and Christina Morelli, as well as keeper Courtney Davis were acknowledged.
On the men’s team, six graduating players were recognized, including: defenders Daniel Gogarty, Josh Kiselyov, and Francesco Sinopoli; midfielders Steve Kloutsouniotis, and Eddie Lay; and forward Cristian Cavallini.
In the women’s game, the graduating players showed their team what they’ll be missing next year, as they played pivotal parts in the offense.
The first goal came early for the Lions courtesy of Kiyani Johnson’s 6th minute header, assisted by senior Farkhunda Muhtaj. Senior Christina Morelli then doubled the lead in the 19th minute.
The Lions women resumed their dominant play in the second half, as Johnson bagged her second goal of the day in the 62nd minute. The final goal of the game was scored in the 82nd minute by Lions forward Stephanie Lamanna, after another assist from Muhtaj, to end the game at 4-0.
The men continued the domination, as Nika opened the scoring in the 10th minute. Again, the seniors were determined to leave their mark in their last home game of the regular season, when Eddie Lay made it 2-0 in the 14th minute, assisted by Maurizio Ragone.
Fellow senior Cavallini, then scored the Lions’ third goal of the game in the 30th minute, assisted by Dylan Carriero. The Warriors, however, pulled one goal back almost immediately in the 32nd minute, to end the first half at 3-1.
Cavallini picked up where he left off in the second half, scoring a 71st minute goal, assisted by Emmanuel Zambasis. Lion Omar Marzouk then rounded off the action by scoring in the last minute of the game, assisted by Vaughan Bianchi, to end the game with a 5-1 final score.
The men currently sit in first place on the OUA West with an 11-3 record, while the women are third with an 8-4-2 record.
Both teams will be back in action on Friday against the Windsor Lancers. The women play first at 6 p.m., followed by the men play at 8:15 p.m. Both teams will also take on the Western Mustangs on Sunday afternoon. Kick-off is at 12 p.m. for the women, and 2:15 p.m. for the men.
