Gee-Gees and Gaels will square off in regular season finale Oct. 13
Last year, the Gee-Gees bid for a perfect 12-0 regular season ended on Sept. 24. That Sunday afternoon at Matt Anthony Field, Gee-Gees keeper Cassidy Joslin did her part and picked up a clean sheet — though the Gee-Gees couldn’t break through Kirstin Tynan in the other net either, resulting in a 0-0 tie.
This past Sunday afternoon, Joslin would pick up another clean sheet — her second of the weekend — but this time, 2023 OUA First Team All-Star defender Maya Smith would push the Gees over the edge with a header off Nibo Dlamini’s corner in the 37th minute.
“It felt great,” Smith said after the game of her game-winning goal. “We pushed through, it’s always a hard game against Queen’s. We had to hold on a bit because they were coming with the pressure, but we did a good job; we kept our composure.”
The Gee-Gees had oodles of chances in the first half, possibly inflated as the Queen’s defence showed striker Cass Provost repeated double-teams which she passed out of, resulting in multiple runs by the team’s wingers.
Fifth-year forward Jenna Matsukubo in particular had a couple of five-star chances alone with Tynan — including one where she was tripped up and the fans expected a penalty to come forth — but was ultimately held off the scoresheet.
To the Gaels credit, they made Joslin work for her clean sheet, sending five shots on goal, including a couple high-danger scoring chances in the second half. In the 54th minute, Gaels defender Madinah Assaf sent a brilliant through from her own 18-yard box down the length of the field, in the area of forward Mattson Strickler.
Strickler would win the ball but be forced wide by Gees defender Tessa Frangione and send a bad-angle shot from almost all the way to the goal line clanging off Joslin’s cross bar. That was the closest the Gaels would get to evening the score.
“I thought we were really good defensively against Queen’s attacks,” said Gee-Gees head coach Steve Johnson, noting that he was especially impressed with first-year midfielder Ava Donahue, who was subbed in at half to be a defensive presence.
“We had some really good chances early,” Johnson said when asked about the offence, who scored six goals in each of the team’s first two games of the year. “I think we caught them a little bit flat footed.”
The Gee-Gees will travel to Richardson Stadium in Kingston on Oct. 13 to cap off the regular season in a rare season-rematch.
“Queen’s is a very good team — I think probably one of the best in the province. We were able to compete with them, both teams are still in early, so I think for both teams it’s upwards and onwards from here.”
