STING SUCCESSFULLY DEFEND OCAA WOMEN'S SOCCER TITLE

TORONTO - The Seneca Sting defeated the Humber Hawks for the second straight year in the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) Women's Soccer Championship to advance to the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) championship.

With a boisterous crowd, Martina Pannia (Bolton) opened the scoring in the fourth minute on a beautiful shot from 30 yards out which just snuck under the crossbar.

In the 36th minute, the Sting added to their lead. The Hawks attempted to clear the ball from in front of their goal, but Francesca Famele (Brampton) connected with a left foot on the clearing attempt which found the bottom right corner of the goal.

The Hawks responded in the 41st minute in similar fashion to the second goal by the Sting. Antonia Gatti (Scarborough) intercepted a Sting clearing attempt and fired a rocket from just outside the box into the Sting goal.

OCAA Player of the Year Marlene Siwula (Mississauga) took a through ball from Alexis Cordeiro (Brampton) and broke in alone, beating the Hawks goalkeeper to extend the lead to 3-1.

Faith Metcalfe-Simiana (Markham) was named Player of the Match for the Sting while Kaitlynn Russell (Mississauga) was named Player of the Match for the Hawks.

Yoana Peralta Fernandez (Toronto) was named Most Valuable Player of the championship. Championship All-Stars were Seneca's Siwula and Pannia, Humber's Doreen Anane-Bediakoh (Brampton) and Hayley Lewis (Mississauga), Sheridan's Jessica Jagdeo (Malton) and Redeemer's Ivana Kanisek (Mississauga).

The Sheridan Bruins defeated the Redeemer Royals 2-1 to capture the OCAA bronze medal.

The improbable run for the Bruins, the seventh seed in the OCAA West Division culminated in the school's first medal in nearly two decades (2005).

Jagdeo was the star for the Bruins, scoring both goals. Jagdeo opened the match with a bang, scoring in the fifth minute. Following a scramble in front of their goal, the Royals attempted to clear the ball, only for the ball to settle at Jagdeo's feet. Jagdeo gathered the ball, took one stride and fired a shot into the Royals goal.

Jagdeo struck again during stoppage time at the end of the first half. With the Bruins awarded a penalty kick, Jagdeo calmly struck a shot to the upper right corner of the goal past the outstretched arms of the Royals goalkeeper.

Leah Sloots (Hamilton) answered for the Royals in the 57th minute wiht Emily Walraven (Burlington) picking up the assist, but it was all the Royals could manage offensively as the top seed in the OCAA West Division completed a disappointing 0-2 championship.

Redeemer was looking for their first OCAA medal in women's soccer since the 1990 season.

Source: Seneca Sting

OCAA WOMEN'S SOCCER AWARDS

OCAA Women's Soccer Championship MVP
Yoana Peralta Fernandez, Seneca

OCAA Women's Soccer Championship All-Stars
Doreen Anane-Bediakoh, Humber
Jessica Jagdeo, Sheridan
Ivana Kanisek, Redeemer
Hayley Lewis, Humber
Martina Pannia, Seneca
Marlene Siwula, Seneca

2024 OCAA WOMEN'S SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP

Championship Website: www.ocaa.com/wsoc

Friday, October 25
Semi-Finals
Seneca def. Sheridan 2-1
Humber def. Redeemer 1-0

Saturday, October 26
Bronze Medal Match
Sheridan def. Redeemer 2-1

Gold Medal Match
Seneca def. Humber 3-1

- OCAA -

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