With their first playoff match-up slated against Carleton, the second-seeded women’s soccer team from Toronto is full of confidence and optimism as they prepare for a Saturday showdown with the Ravens: “We have nine wins on the year and only one loss,” said Blues coach Beth McCharles. “We have a couple more ties than I would like, but our confidence is high. The girls believe they can do it and that’s what you want as a coach.”
The team ended the season on a strong note with a win and a tie over the weekend, clinching second place in their conference (9-1-6) just behind the top-seeded Ottawa Gee-Gees (13- 2-1). The Blues are lead again this season by second-year midfielder Erica Basso, who is tied for second in the OUA with nine goals, including one in the team’s win over RMC over the weekend. Against the Paladins, the Blues faced an early deficit as two questionable calls helped put the team down 2-0. But Toronto would remain patient and follow their game plan, scoring five unanswered goals to take the contest. Briony Demott would score the go-ahead goal for the Blues in the thirty-eighth minute of the game, giving her four on the season (second most on the team).
The win showed a lot of character on the part of the Blues, which should certainly serve them well as they face the high pressure situations of the post-season.
“You know it was a great game to go into the playoffs with,” said Mc- Charles. “We weren’t playing three of our starters because of yellow cards and injuries and just resting. We had some good moments and not-so-good moments, but the girls played with heart today.”
It is this combination of talent and drive that has led to much of the team’s success this year. Standout performances by Basso, as well as third-year goal keeper Mary Anne Barnes, who finished the year with a nil-nil shutout of Ottawa in the weekend finale, have given the Blues a strong core of players to build from. For Barnes it was her eleventh shutout of the year, helped along the way by a great defence, including Blues captain Katie Hill, who earned much praise from her coach following the Ottawa game: “Katie Hill played a great game. She’s really stepped up as the leader of the team in her final regular season match for Toronto.” Sunday’s game against Ottawa was a tight defensive affair, which allowed Hill and the Blues back-line to shine again. It was also an excellent test of how far this team has come since the beginning of the year. The Blues started the season with a five game unbeaten streak only to fall to the Gee-Gees in the sixth match 2- 0. This time around, the Blues showed they were just as good, and perhaps better, than the conference leaders: “Ottawa placed second in the OUA and they’re one of the top ranked teams in Canada,” said Hill. “They’re a hard team to play against, but today for the most part we outplayed them and we could have easily come up with the win.”
This is Hill’s final season with the Blues, as she plans to apply for teachers’ college next year. How the team will be able to replace her leadership is not something they have much time to think about now. Their focus will be on making sure Hill’s swan song is a memorable one. After all, what would be a better memento than an OUA gold medal in women’s soccer? In order to achieve the gold they will most likely have to go through the same Gee-Gee’s team they played to a draw just this past Sunday, a challenge McCharles welcomes:
“In the past, Ottawa played a possession style of game, but this year they’re playing through the back a lot more, and more of a direct style. It’s not a big problem for us because we have a good defensive line, and our back-line plays well with the ball in the air.”
As far as the playoffs go, Ottawa won’t be the only team in the mix. Carleton (9-5-2) will surely provide the Blues with stiff competition in Saturday’s OUA quarter-final. The afternoon game will be the team’s first playoff match at the new Varsity Centre. Toronto is 2-0 in both their games against the Raven’s this season, but both were close games ending 1-0 in favour of the Blues.
In order to be successful, the Blues have to play their possession game and be strong on the back-line they’ve exhibited all year: “If we play the way we’re capable, we should have no problem,” McCharles explained. “We just need to capitalize on their wing play and we’ll be successful.”
Regardless of what happens this weekend, the season has been a success for women’s soccer. As Blues midfielder Briony Demott stated recently: “Our second-place standing is the highest in the history of our women’s soccer program. We have been nationally ranked at least three different times over the course of our season as one of the top teams in the entire CIS. This year was also one for the record books as our women’s soccer team earned the first win ever at the new Varsity Stadium, and continued our streak by being undefeated at home all year.”
In a season of firsts, Coach Mc- Charles will hope to add one more first in her four years at the helm: a medal. Last season, the Blues did not make it past the quarter-finals, losing to the Queen’s Golden Gaels 2-0. In 2007, the Blues will hope to be the golden ones.
