THE GEE-GEES’ WOMEN’S SOCCER TEAM WAS HANDED THEIR SECOND LOSS OF THE SEASON AGAINST THE UNDEFEATED VARSITY BLUES
On Friday evening, the mighty Gee-Gees Women’s soccer team shared the pitch with the undefeated Toronto Varsity Blues, an early-season matchup that would repeat last season’s loss against the Blues. Revenge did not come for the Gees despite a valiant second-half effort — the early 2-0 deficit was too big an obstacle to overcome, and the Gees took their second loss of the season.
First Half
The Blues scored early on in the fifth minute, when Clare Sun got the ball stripped by Anne Yeomans, and immediately struck the ball past Juliann Lacasse, putting the Gees down 1-0 for her third goal of the season.
In the 30th minute, the Gee-Gees substitution changed things up — they opted for the second-year Ottawa native Celina Bensebaa, coming in to replace Sun.
Just five minutes later, Beatrice Audain of the Varsity Blues received a cross, a first-touch pass to the lethal Yeomans, and a first-touch strike bottom left sealed another goal, putting the score 2-0 for the Varsity Blues.
Second Half
Starting the second half, the first-year attacking midfielder Erica Tsang replaced Nibo Dlamini, and Clare Sun returned to the pitch.
The speedy Gracie Somers of the Gees, a former RSEQ all-star for Acadia, had a phenomenal shot on goal in the 65th minute, but a diving save from the Varsity Blues keeper, Maria Godoy-Atrash, kept the Gees scoreless.
As Dlamini took the pitch once again with a little more than 20 minutes remaining, her presence was definitely felt as she took a wild outside-the-box shot, narrowly deflected by Godoy-Atrash. The play was followed up by a goal kick, a very questionable call from the referee, and cries from the crowd erupted calling for a corner kick.
With three minutes remaining in regulation, Dlamini was fouled right outside the box. The free kick taken squeezed through the Varsity Blues wall, but wound up just left of the goal.
The Varsity Blues were the victors of this matchup, remaining undefeated and handing the Gees their second loss on the season. U of O, once dominating the OUA, now sits 3-2, and the Toronto Varsity Blues 4-0.
