X-Women soccer are AUS champions!

X-Women capture 1st AUS banner since 1986
StFX 2, UPEI 1 (OT 4-2 penalty kicks)
Courtesy Memorial Sports Information

It was a day without precipitation, but cold temperatures faced both teams with the start of today’s AUS Subway Women’s Soccer Championship. StFX seemed to have the energy edge out of the gate, despite having come off of a long overtime win on Saturday. With both teams advancing to nationals, it was time to settle in and battle for the AUS banner. 

At the ten minute mark, PEI attacked and Chelsie McInnis took a crossed ball, finding the back of net to put the Panthers up early. The rest of the first half saw most of the play around midfield, but not much action around either net. 

With the start of the second half, StFX continued to provide pressure and controlled most of the play. UPEI keeper Chanelle Roy faced a couple of direct shots on net, but easily handled the ball, keeping the lead for the Panthers. X continued to control the ball in the midfield and it seemed only a matter of  time before they would find a solid scoring chance. 

At the 77th minute, Eugenia Renderos delivered a cross to the middle of the box and Sarah Mitchell stretched to get a foot on the ball, driving it past the UPEI keeper. 

With renewed energy, St FX continued to battle through the end of the 90th minute. A 1-1 tie would take it to overtime, the seocnd consective overtime game in as many days for StFX. The overtime periods saw little action on the keepers, outside of a strike on net by StFX that would find the top of the crossbar, bounce down, but was booted away by the UPEI defense. It seemed that this attempt would haunt the X-Women if the final outcome was not the one they hoped for. 

The second OT period ended in 1-1 draw, so penalty kicks would decide the AUS championship.  StFX would strike first with Nicole Melong driving a shot past UPEI’s Roy. UPEI were unable to find the equalizer on their second strike. X’s Eugenia Renderos also found the back of the net putting StFX up 2-0. Tessa Roche, AUS MVP, would not go down without a fight and scored on UPEI’s second attempt. 

Ana Balbino and Shannon Boisvert also added goals for StFX, giving them a 4-2 margin in penalty kicks. The game was decided and StFX claimed their first AUS women’s soccer championship in 23 years. X-Women midfielder Sarah Mitchell was named the 2009 Keith’s AUS Championship MVP and was outstanding for her team all weekend.

StFX took the long road to the championship, with a quarterfinal win over Moncton (1-0) and then a semi-final overtime upset (2-1) of Dalhousie, the tournament's top seed and previously undefeated team. With the X-Women capping off the weekend with yet another OT win and the AUS championship title, they will now head to the CIS national championship in Toronto, taking place Nov. 12-15.