Eagles to take on St. George Red in outdoor soccer finals after big win
UTM women’s soccer season comes to a close, men’s keep rolling for one final game.
For the first time in program history, our UTM Eagles have made it to the finals of the men’s outdoor soccer season.
The men’s side were able to secure first seed ahead of playoffs after beating UTSC and UTSG Blue on the road, ending the regular season with a 5-1-0 undefeated record. They then hosted UTSC in the first round of playoffs on Sunday, although the game was played at North Field, in the heart of campus.
Men’s go 3-for-3 against Scarborough in the season with semi-finals win
Scarborough took a shock lead early on after a turnover of possession in the midfield, which quickly turned on a counter-attack and was capitalized swiftly by the striker. The Eagles then settled into the rhythm of the game and started pushing for an equalizer. They didn’t have to wait too long, as midfielder Cedric Ngounou won a penalty and converted it to even the tally only minutes later.
The game was intense and physical, with many outstanding performances on either side. At the half-time whistle, the game remained tied, but UTM had enjoyed the better share of opportunities to get ahead.
Driven by head coach Szabi, the Eagles took the field in the second half with a clear goal in mind: put this game away and manage the possession of the ball. They found a breakthrough with Kushall Mathew, who buried a strike at the near post after being set up perfectly from a crafty outside of the foot pass from Nart Machf.
UTM’s possession tactics only became more impactful as the game went on. They kept the ball and moved it well, attacking dangerous spaces without forcing risky plays or turnovers in possession. This paid off when striker Krish Chavan coldly slotted the ball in the bottom corner to score his fifth of the season after another well-weighted through ball by Machft put Chavan one-on-one with the keeper.
At the end of the game, Scarborough committed players forward in a last-ditch effort to level the score. Nevertheless, the Eagles defended well, and looked dangerous on the counter attacks thanks to the space now opened behind UTSC’s high defensive line.
The Eagles capitalized one final time to seal the win with Pietro Arrigoni who, after receiving a threatened pass from captain Erik Selvaggi, turned and ran at the backline, beat the defenders with pace, and put away a brace to make it 4-1.
The Eagles will take this good performance and hope to carry it into this week’s training ahead of the finals. They will travel to Varsity Stadium where they will take on UTSG Reds for the chance at the first men’s outdoor soccer win in program history.
“The team has a great opportunity this weekend to accomplish the goal we set out for ourselves before the season, but it won’t be possible unless we work hard and apply ourselves,” said Coach Kevin Iyamabo following his team’s performance. “St. George Red is a really strong opponent and the defending champions. They won’t want to give up their crown without a fight and we’ve got to be ready for it.”
“We’ve believed from the moment this team was created that this was a special group and this Sunday is our time to show it,” Iyamabo added.
The future of women’s soccer shines bright despite loss
In their semi-final matchup against the undefeated UTSG Red, the women’s team took to the field with positive energy in search of an underdog victory. In the early minutes of play, the Eagles maintained possession in the middle, creating ample opportunities to push forward for the opening goal of the game. Unfortunately, despite creating chances up top and pressuring Red’s goalkeeper, the Eagles were unable to find the back of the net.
Nonetheless, the girls gave it their absolute all until the final whistle. Leading goal scorer for the Eagles, Jordan Pawlowski, continued to pressure the Red’s defense alongside strikers Jenna Schroder and Princess Saladino. On the defensive side, the Eagles saw an impressive performance from volunteer goalkeeper Manisha Biring, who made crucial saves against the Reds powerhouse shots.
In the second half, despite trailing 3-0, the Eagles were determined to even the scoreboard. An opportunity in the box for center midfielder Amelia Caron was almost the break the Eagles needed, but was turned away by the Reds goalkeeper with a beautiful diving save.
For the rest of the match, the Eagles dug deep in search of a goal but ultimately came up short. In the end, the Reds put up another strong battle, slotting five goals past the Eagles, and ending their chances at a third consecutive outdoor championship.
Looking forward, the women’s side aims to build upon their chemistry as they prepare for the indoor season. As a team that essentially started from scratch, with many players playing different positions and experimenting with new game strategies, the girls should be immensely proud of their improvement throughout the season. Although it wasn’t the result they wanted, the team demonstrated comradery, positivity, and high spirits to support one another week after week. With a solid group of graduating players and the motivation from new additions, the Eagles look to regroup and train hard in the off-season to take flight in the new year.
Arts & Entertainment Editor (Volume 51); Staff Writer (Volume 50) — Keira is going into her fourth year at UTM pursuing a double major in Communications, Culture, Information, and Technology (CCIT) and Professional Writing and Communications (PWC). When she’s not working or studying, you can find her nose deep in a good literary fiction novel, writing movie reviews on Letterboxd, or even training for the marathon that never seems to actually happen! You can connect with Keira on Instagram or LinkedIn.