X-Women hand DAL first loss, earn berth in AUS final

AUS Women's Soccer Semi-Final # 1: StFX 2, Dalhousie 1 (OT)
Courtesy Memorial Sports Information

The top seeded Dalhousie Tigers opened their quest for the AUS championship on Saturday afternoon, and as expected took it to their NS rivals from StFX in the early stages of the fixture. With a strong wind helping their cause, the Tigers were tidy in possession in the first half and really showed why they are the 5th ranked team in the nation.

Kate MacDonald was the first to get on the score sheet with a goal in the 23rd minute, and what a goal it was. The 4th year striker had the poise to look up and curl a delightful left footed gem to the far post, using both splendid technique and the wind to her advantage perfectly. No one could argue the Tigers deserved to be up at the break.

The 2nd half however, saw the tide turn quickly and you could sense a certain swagger in the step of the X-Women.  With some renewed ambition and, of course, the helping hand of a nasty wind, StFX really made the mighty Tigers look quite ordinary, and even vulnerable at times.

It was no surprise when X tied the game at the 70th minute. A well taken long range free kick from AUS Rookie of the Year Meaghan Ramsden seemed to have eyes for goal, as it bounced once, eluded a major traffic jam in the box without a touch, and snuck in at far post. And with that, we were heading to overtime.

All things considered, the match was certainly of high quality, especially considering the harsh conditions, and overtime was no different. Glory for the X-Women came in the 9th minute of the first overtime when Nicole McNeil unleashed a screamer from every bit of 35 yards that bulged the back of the old onion bag.  The now frantic Tigers could find no response and suffered their first defeat of the season, albeit at the most costly time. The X-Women, full of glee, will now move onto Sunday’s final in search of their first conference title since 1986. Their opponent will be the UPEI Panthers at 12:00 pm.

Semi-Final # 2: UPEI 1, CBU 0

Semi-final # 2 took place in your typical North Atlantic winter storm. Slashing winds and waves of snow engulfed the pitch, but Cape Breton and UPEI did not seem to overly mind, and went to battle from the get go. A tremendously well organized defense from the Panthers kept the Capers at bay for the first half. They did a remarkable job of making an enormous 120 by 80 yard pitch feel as small as a shoebox for the Capers. At times the Panthers strikers were playing so deep they could have been mistaken for holding midfielders, but nevertheless their defend-at-all-costs mentality successfully frustrated the four-time defending champions, and the Panthers managed to get to the half time whistle without conceding.

With Mother Nature always going to be the most dominant presence in the game, the Panthers gladly accepted her backing in the second half and started to do some attacking of their own. Jenn MacLeod broke the deadlock in the 65th minute as she got onto the end of a clever ball and produced a cute little finish, tucking the ball under the Capers keeper. The shocked CBU side went broke in search of an equalizer and the Panthers became just the second team in seven seasons to defeat the Capers in an AUS playoff game.

The win must go down as a classic PEI style triumph, a truly brilliant defensive masterpiece that the Italians would be proud of. The Panthers now advance to Sunday’s championship final where they will face the beaming StFX X-Women with the conference title on the line.