Eagles take both Championships in thriller finals 
UTM soccer brings home two more tri-campus titles, team calls for the return of Varsity sports.

Rispetto per tutti, paura di nessuno.

“Respect for everybody, fear of no one,” is an Italian phrase that you can expect to hear anywhere from the soggy changerooms of a Sunday league team to the changerooms inside the San Siro stadium ahead of a Milan derby. It’s a phrase that embodies the spirit of the sport of football perfectly. It touches on the themes of competition, fairness, and self-improvement, which I believe are the fundamentals of the sport I have grown up loving. 

During my time as a UTM Eagle, I have tried to embody these values and share them with my teammates. I also firmly believe that the success we have had during the past year has been thanks to the way we have rooted our team’s mentality in these values. 

A day to remember

Many were the fans who travelled to Varsity Stadium to support the Eagles in their double final. They were rewarded well for their efforts, as both the Men’s and the Women’s teams won their final games to bring home the much-awaited tri-campus indoor championship. 

What happened Sunday was nothing short of remarkable. Both teams had struggled very hard in the regular season, ending up as the bottom seed heading into playoffs, and having low hopes of even making it to the finals. 

Despite the odds being against them, the Eagles put in great semi-final performances that saw them reach the finals with strong momentum. Even so, the Eagles remained underdogs, seeing as how their form in the regular season had been inconsistent. 

Double champs 

The Men took on UTSC in the first game of the night. After a poor outdoor season, UTSC had turned their form around in indoor, winning both games against UTM in the regular season and eliminating UTSG Blue in penalties to advance to the finals. 

The task at hand was big, as the Men were asked to defend their status as champions against a team hungry for success. However, the Eagles’ determination to be crowned double champions drove energy in the legs of the players on the pitch, who imposed themselves on the game in a way that was never really seen throughout the season. 

UTM dictated the play, remaining dangerous at all times with the combined effort of Chavan, Gideon, and Arrigoni dominating the offensive part of the game. However, they were equally attentive on the defensive side, remaining focused and disciplined while defending the UTSC attacks. 

Being a final, the main focus of each team was to not concede first. Both defended sharply, but the high quality of the players on the field meant that chances were still created. Both goalkeepers had incredible performances, and a huge shout-out goes to Sze-Hock Lee, who was called into action for UTM after Mohaisen was unavailable for the final. 

The regular time result was goalless, and as extra-time approached the final whistle, the coaches were already discussing who would be their penalty-takers. The players on the field felt this too. The pace of the game slowed as the energy decreased. Passes became sloppier and decisions slower. In this chaotic environment, a flash of brilliance from captain Erik Selvaggi sealed the win for the Eagles. He picked up the ball just outside the box, used a decoy run by Gideon to move the defender off-line and then smashed the ball off the post and into the back of the net. 

The moment the ball rattled in the goal, Coach Kevin Iyamabo said he “felt enormous pride in the team and my captain, as after 65 minutes they refused to give up and got their reward.”

Against all odds, the Eagles became double champions. 

Underdogs to champions

The Women’s path to the trophy was arguably even harder than the Men’s. From 4th seed, they eliminated UTSG Reds, an opponent that had beaten them in all previous encounters this season. Having gone winless for the entirety of the regular season, this was a huge improvement and built tons of momentum heading into the final. 

However, UTM remained underdogs in the final against UTSG Blues, who were reigning champions from the outdoor season. Despite this, UTM channeled their energy and momentum to take the fight right to Blues, grabbing an early lead with a goal from Emma Darini. 

Stunned, UTSG did their best to recompose themselves and tried to regain their own momentum. The Eagles remained calm and kept possession, knocking the ball around and frustrating their opponent, while waiting for the opportunity to pounce and double their lead. 

The resistance lasted until the end of the first half, when a well-worked UTSG build-up forced the Eagles defender into a late challenge that caught the striker just as she readied to tap the cross in the open net at the back post. The UTSG Blues converted the resulting penalty and the teams headed into halftime on parity.  

The Eagles came out flying in the second half. Midfielder Amelia Caron controlled the game, dominating the midfield and imposing her presence across the field. As her confidence grew with the team’s momentum, she secured a lead for UTM after sitting down the defender by cutting the ball onto her weak foot and surgically placing the ball off the far post, impossible for the keeper to reach. 

When UTSG stepped their line in search of a late equaliser, Jordan Pawlowski and Caron linked up to seal the game. After winning possession back, Amelia sent Jordan with a great penetrating pass that split the defence, then inflated the net after sitting down the goalkeeper. 

When the final whistle blew the score read 3-1 for UTM, the bench erupted in joy, ecstatic for the incredible achievement the group had been able to reach. In that moment, the cheers and claps of the numerous fans carried away with them the memories of the struggles the girls faced throughout the season. Now, they too can call themselves champions. 

A message from the team

Just a few weeks ago, no one would’ve bet on either of the Eagles’ team to take home the trophy. Yet, their incredible efforts have led to a year-defining championship win that is more than deserved. The relentless work the student-athletes and the coaches have put in this semester has reaped its rewards. 

This amazing success is something players will cherish and be proud of for a long time: a farewell to those graduating and, hopefully, the beginning of a virtuous winning cycle for those who are here to stay. 

However, in the midst of trophy lifting pictures and emotional hugs, there is also a clear message: UTM is ready for Varsity sports to come back. Everyone is well aware of the Varsity tradition that UTM had before the pandemic and these successes are concrete proof that tri-campus sports might be ‘tight’ for the quality of the student-athletes here. 

A warm thank you goes out to everyone who contributed to the amazing season: coaches, players, and the staff. And as always, Go Eagles!