X-Women soccer earn two victories

The X-Women soccer team opened up and scored 8 goals over two days en route to consecutive wins this past weekend. Friday evening, StFX topped the Cape Breton Capers 4-1, and followed that up with a 4-0 shutout over the UNB Varsity Reds Saturday afternoon. Both games were played at StFX Oland Stadium.

X-Women head coach Trevor Reddick was pleased with his teams’ play, commenting “I thought we played very well over all. We generated great scoring chances and we were able to capitalize on quite a few. We were also very solid defensively. We play a possession style of play and we had the majority during both games this weekend which I was pleased to see.” 

“I thought our work rate was impressive, especially for the first game. Over all I think it’s starting to come together for us. It only gets harder from here on in so we have to continue to play smart and with a sense of urgency.”

On Friday evening against the Capers, the X-Women were led by strikers Olivia Zanette and Jordan Brass who each scored two goals for the home squad.

It was the Capers, however, who opened the scoring in the game as Erika Lannon made good on a penalty kick in the 9th minute after X-Women defender Meaghan Ramsden was assessed a foul. The Capers came out strong in the opening 15 minutes of play.

StFX didn’t waste any time getting back into the game as Zanette notched her first goal in the 14th minute, volleying in a cross from Maura Woodman who beat a Capers defender to set up the play.

Brass scored the game winning goal in the 29th minute after Zanette sent the ball through to her as she broke in and beat Capers goalkeeper Tiffany O’Donnell low in the right corner of the net. Zanette tallied her second goal of the match in the 36th minute to give the X-Women a 3-1 lead at half-time. Brass was again in on the play as she headed the ball across the top of the 18 yard box to Zanette who fired a high, hard shot to the back of the net.

The two continued their strong play up front in the second half. The X-Women kept the Capers off the score board for the remaining 45 minutes and Brass added to the X lead in the 82nd minute as chipped a deflected ball in over O’Donnell’s head.

Maris Miller played well in the StFX net as she recorded 11 saves in the game. The X-Women outshot the Capers 22-18.

Zanette earned Subway Player of the Game honors for StFX while Lauren Ferguson was the Capers top player.

The X-Women continued their scoring streak on Saturday afternoon as they shutout the visiting UNB Varsity Reds by a 4-0 score. All the goals came in the second half, including two from midfielder Kirsten Desjardins-Lorimer.

The two teams played to a scoreless first half. The Varsity Reds had a good scoring chance approximately 30 minutes into the game as Elise Arseneau rang one off the cross bar. Zanette replied with a scoring chance for StFX on the next play down field but was stopped by UNB keeper Jackie Blank.

Play in the second half remained scoreless until the 62nd minute when Vanessa Smykalski connected on a broken play and capitalized on an error by the V-Reds keeper to put the X-Women on the board.

Desjardins-Lorimer, who entered the game as the second half began, then scored goals just over five minutes apart in the 71st and 76th minutes to put the game out of reach. After StFX keeper Maris Miller made a diving goal-saving save off Brianna Ford, Desjardins-Lorimer’s second goal was a timely one. Blank got a hand on the shot but it had enough behind it to find the back of the net.

Her second marker was volleyed into the net off a Mallory MacDonnell pass as Blank was screened on the shot.

Freshman defender Gabby Bergh added to the StFX lead late in the game in the 89th minute as she scored her first career AUS goal, knocking the ball in the net after a couple of deflections around the box.

When extra time ran out, Miller earned the shutout win in nets for the X-Women, her second win in as many days. She had 7 saves as the X-Women outshot the Varsity Reds 15-9.

Desjardins-Lorimer was named the Subway Player of the Game for her two-goal effort.

With the two wins, the X-Women improve to 6-4-1 on the season with two games remaining on the schedule. Friday night, Oct. 28th they will travel to Sydney, NS for a re-match against the Capers before hosting the Saint Mary’s Huskies on Sunday afternoon in Antigonish. Game time is 1:00 pm at Oland Stadium.