OCAA WOMEN'S SOCCER CROSSOVERS PREVIEW

TORONTO - The Ontario Colleges Athletics Association (OCAA) Round of 16 matches are set for women's soccer, with eight elimination matches taking place on Wednesday.

The top eight teams in each division advance to the post-season and will compete in an inter-divisional crossover round based on seeding (1 vs. 8, 2 vs. 7, etc.). Winners will advance to the quarter-finals on Saturday. All matches in the opening two rounds will be hosted by the higher seeded team.

The final four surviving teams will advance to the OCAA championship to be hosted by the top remaining seed. The OCAA Women's Soccer Championship will take place over a two-day span between Oct. 23-26.

Cambrian Shield, Sudbury (4-6-0, 6th East) at Humber Hawks, Toronto (5-2-3, 3rd West)
Wednesday, Oct. 15 - 12 p.m.

The Humber Hawks enter the post-season having gone unbeaten in four of their last five regular season matches. A strong defensive squad, Humber allowed just six goals against in 10 matches.

Humber features a quartet of players who scored a team-high three goals during the regular season. First-year wing Mia Lavorato (Vaughan) has scored one goal in each of Humber's last two matches.

After losing their first five matches of the season, the Cambrian Shield have won four of their last five. Second-year midfielder Delaney Elliott (Sault Ste. Marie) leads the squad with five goals in 10 matches.

The Hawks have advanced to eight straight OCAA semi-finals. Cambrian advanced to the OCAA quarter-finals last season.

Sheridan Bruins, Oakville (2-6-2, 8th West) at Seneca Sting, Toronto (10-0-0, 1st East)
Wednesday, Oct. 15 - 5 p.m.

The two-time defending OCAA champion Seneca Sting won all 10 of their matches during the regular season, outscoring their opponents 49-5. Seneca has not lost an OCAA-sanctioned match since Oct. 11, 2023.

Seneca third-year forward Alexis Cordeiro (Brampton) finished the regular season the OCAA scoring leader with 17 goals in 10 matches.

The Sheridan Bruins lost six matches during the regular season but did come away with two ties against St. Clair and Humber, teams that finished in the top third of the West Division standings.

Fourth-year striker Grace Makarewicz (Bolton) is the top scorer on the Bruins with four goals in 10 regular season matches. Sheridan lost to Seneca 2-1 in last year's OCAA semifinals.

Loyalist Lancers, Belleville (2-5-3, 8th East) at St. Clair Saints, Windsor (7-0-3, 1st West)
Wednesday, Oct. 15 - 5 p.m.

The St. Clair Saints were one of three unbeaten clubs during the OCAA regular season, winning the West Division title on a tiebreaker.

The Saints have one of the stingiest defences this season, allowing just five goals in 10 matches. They have won four straight matches in October. Third-year forward Victoria Walsh (Georgetown) led the Saints with nine regular season goals.

The Loyalist Lancers are undefeated in three of their last four matches. The Lancers gave up 32 goals in 10 regular season matches, worst among OCAA post-season teams.

Four Lancers share the team lead with two goals each, including second-year midfielder Gabrielle Denis-Bertrand (Aylmer) who has scored twice in three matches.

The Saints and the Lancers both failed to advance past the Round of 16 last year.

Lakehead Thunderwolves, Orillia (3-6-1, 7th East) at Niagara Knights (7-0-3, 2nd West)
Wednesday, Oct. 15 - 6 p.m.

The other team to go unbeaten, the Niagara Knights, missed out on a West Division title on a tiebreaker. The Knights gave up the fewest number of goals during the regular season, allowing only four.

Niagara second-year forward Tessa Vahrmeyer (St. Catharines) scored a West Division-leading 14 goals in 10 matches.

The Lakehead Thunderwolves had a decent debut season in the OCAA, winning three matches and earning a post-season berth. First-year striker Monica Sousa (Toronto) leads the team with four goals.

Niagara lost last year's qualifying match to division rival Humber in overtime.

Fanshawe Falcons, London (3-5-2, 7th West) at Algonquin Wolves, Ottawa (9-1-0, 2nd East)
Wednesday, Oct. 15 - 6 p.m.

The Algonquin Wolves fell one win shy of the East Division championship, but their path to OCAA provincials will run on home turf where they are undefeated (5-0).

Algonquin features top scorer Alex Aubin (Long Sault). The second-year striker scored a dozen goals in 10 matches.

Following a three-match stretch where they went unbeaten, the Fanshawe Falcons ended the regular season dropping two straight.

Third-year striker Lily Ryder (St. Thomas) and second-year midfielder Miriam Wambulwa (Niagara Falls) were the Falcons co-leaders in goals with three each.

Both the Wolves and Falcons failed to advance to the OCAA quarter-finals last season.

Conestoga Condors, Kitchener (4-5-1, 5th West) at Durham Lords, Oshawa (6-4-0, 4th East)
Wednesday, Oct. 15 - 6 p.m.

The Durham Lords won four of their last five regular season matches while the Conestoga Condors have lost two straight.

Durham outscored their opponents 32-11 in 10 matches. Fourth-year striker Sage Thomas-Roberts (Toronto) led the Lords with 10 goals, averaging one per match.

Despite winning four matches, the Conestoga Condors have only scored six times in 10 matches with third-year midfielder Lily Triantafilou (Waterloo) accounting for half of these goals.

Durham advanced to the OCAA quarter-finals in 2024 while Conestoga failed in its quest a season ago.

Mohawk Mountaineers, Hamilton (3-5-2, 6th West) at Centennial Colts, Toronto (8-2-0, 3rd East)
Wednesday, Oct. 15 - 8:15 p.m.

The Centennial Colts scored an OCAA-high 58 regular season goals, while allowing a impressive eight goals against in 10 matches.

Centennial third-year forward Mylie Decoff (Burlington) was among the OCAA leaders with 16 goals during the regular season.

After going undefeated in their first three matches, the Mohawk Mountaineers struggled in the later half of the regular season, losing four straight before a notable 1-1 tie against top-seeded Niagara on Oct 8.

Mohawk's 10 regular season goals were spread between five players, including fourth-year forward Hannah Kelly (Niagara Falls) who was the team leader with three.

Centennial and Mohawk both advanced to the quarter-finals in 2024.

St. Lawrence Surge, Kingston (4-5-1, 5th East) at Redeemer Royals, Ancaster (5-4-1, 4th West)
Wednesday, Oct. 15 - 8:30 p.m.

The Redeemer Royals have won three of four matches in October, all against teams that qualified for the crossovers.

With 13 overall goals, Redeemer scored the least among OCAA teams with a winning record, but have allowed just nine against. Fourth-year midfielder Kendra Sieders (Lynden) led all Royals players with four regular season goals.

The St. Lawrence Surge are unbeaten in two of their past three matches. Third-year midfielder Gwen Arsenault (Ottawa) and fourth-year midfielder Kayla McPherson (Alexandria) are the Surge co-leaders with three regular season goals each.

The Royals are playing for a return trip to the OCAA final four. The Surge failed to make it out of the first round last post-season.

- OCAA -

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