UTM Face Crushing Defeat Against UTSG Red
UTSG Red Women’s team display a dominant performance against UTM.

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On November 1st, the University of Toronto Women’s soccer team prepared to face off against the University of Toronto St. George (UTSG) Reds Women’s soccer team. Last time the two teams met, UTM’s The Eagles lost horrifically in an 11-0 battering at Varsity field. Going into this match, UTM didn’t seem to have a good chance to win but were undeterred and determined to try their best.

An Eventful First Half

At kickoff, UTSG Reds immediately seemed like the more dominant team, with the game mostly taking place on UTM’s side of the field. Despite the constant assault, UTM held their own defensively, with their defenders and goalkeeper denying multiple attempts by the opposition. However, this did not last long: UTSG Reds scored their first goal just eight minutes into the game.  

The Eagles continued to press on and stave off further goal attempts through a free kick by UTSG Red. However, around the 18th minute, UTM’s #2 blocked a shot with their head and had to be taken off for a check up, causing the game to be paused for about two minutes. The game resumed after medical staff confirmed that The Eagles’ player was not seriously hurt, with UTSG Reds continuing their frantic offense in search of another goal. UTM was awarded a few corners and a free kick but failed to convert their attempts to goals and these efforts were punished minutes later when UTSG Reds scored again in the 33rd minute. 

UTM made a few substitutions to shake up the game but it was not enough to stop UTSG Reds from scoring yet another goal from a corner kick, bringing the score to 3-0 right before half-time.

UTSG secure win with three more goals

Going into the second half, UTM were down three goals, but did not waver and were no less determined to keep fighting until the end. This resolve showed in their performance. UTM dominated the early minutes of the second half with several attempted goals, each of which were blocked by the Reds’ defence. Several minutes later, the Reds were awarded another free kick and scored once more at the 60th minute mark. 

UTM had another chance at scoring but were unfortunately caught offside, killing their momentum. From there, The Eagles began to collapse; Reds would score two more and win the game 6-0.

Post-Match Review

Although having lost the match by a large margin and ending their season abruptly, UTM’s team did not seem that downtrodden about their loss. They huddled together around their coach, who praised their efforts and told them to keep their heads high. 

UTM’s captain, Thabo Mulonga, stated that although they had lost, she felt they  performed better than in their last showdown with UTSG Reds. However, Mulonga also stated that they hadn’t exactly had a good season, largely due to not having a full roster, having only a total of 14 available players, forcing most of the players to play out the full 90 minutes. Due to this shortage, Mulonga was forced to play out of position, playing  right-back despite typically being utilized on the wing. She stated that their situation was a mix of low interest in the team as well as little to no advertising, as tryouts happened in the first week of school.

UTSG Reds Captain, Justina Snow, seemed to be quite positive about their performance in the match. Despite playing as a centre-back, Snow bagged a goal and an assist for the Reds which she felt quite good about. She pointed out the difference in fields: South field, where this match was played, had real grass whereas the Varsity field uses artificial turf, providing a different feel to the game. When talking about the match itself, Snow also drew comparisons to their match with UTSG Blue at Varsity field, noting that they were a “rougher” opponent, while also bringing up their game last week against UTSC, which the Reds had lost. Snow ended her statement saying that the team and herself were determined to get back at UTSC and win their upcoming fixtures. 

The Eagles need you

Although UTM Women’s soccer season came to an end after their match with UTSG Reds, there are plenty of other opportunities for the Eagles to soar. Mulonga mentioned that tryouts for indoor soccer begin in January and stated her interest in participating, displaying her resolve to despite the losses she has faced. 

Numerous other sports also begin their seasons at UTM in the winter, with students baring the harsh weather to continue playing their favorite sports. These struggles are not anything new, as even through the fall season students had to endure long travel times, unpredictable weather and having to balance their sports with their studies. Regardless, they have trudged on and will continue to do so in the winter. If you have some time and a bit of interest, consider trying out for one of the teams in January or at least showing up to support your fellow Eagles. 

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