October 31, 2022... OSHAWA - The Niagara College women's soccer team captured OCAA bronze in a 3-2 win over the host Durham College at the 2022 OCAA Women's Soccer Championship Sunday afternoon.
In the ninth minute of the match, Megan Morgado put the Knights ahead 1-0. OCAA Women's Soccer Player of the Year Sydney Sica scored less than three minutes later to put the Knights up by two.
Durham's Ericka Bjorgum scored early in the second half with a 48th minute goal assisted from Sage Thomas-Roberts. Only one minute later, Thomas-Roberts scored to tie the match, only four minutes into the second half and all of a sudden we had a whole new game.
Late in the match, Rylan Geatrix scored the winner in the 82nd minute to give the Knights their first OCAA medal in women's soccer.
Sica was named the Player of the Match for the Knights and McKenna Jackson was selected to the Championship All-Star team. Thomas-Roberts was named the Player of the Match for the Lords and earned a Championship All-Star award.
The win and the medal represented history in the making for the Knights women's soccer program. Prior to this season, Niagara had yet to advance past the quarter-final round at the championship tournament. Since taking over the program in 2017, head coach Rob Lalama and his squad have made six consecutive post-season appearances. Last season the Knights went 6-0 in a unique COVID season, but were bounced from playoffs early in their crossover match with Humber College.
Niagara cruised through their cross-over game back on October 22 in a 6-0 win over George Brown and crushed the second place team in the East Division in Algonquin with a 5-0 win in their quarter-final match Thursday. Keeper Sierra Naccarato earned both shut-outs, not allowing a goal since the Knights 2-2 draw back on September 12th against Humber.
The Knights squared off against Humber in the semi-final round with what was likely the most exciting match of the season. Just like their regular season match, the Hawks and Knights played to a 2-2 draw at the end of regulation and forced an over-time period. Humber would sail one just over Naccarato in the final minutes and go on to take the 3-2 OT win.
"The overtime loss to Humber was heartbreaking," said Lalama. "We gave our heart and soul and felt unlucky in key calls during the game. Motivating the team for the bronze medal match after such a tough loss was a concern until I began hearing conversations amongst our players, determined not to go home without a medal. At that point, what more can you ask for as a coach?"
Humber eventually was crowed the OCAA Champion in their 3-2 win over Seneca College. Humber will head to the 2022 CCAA Women's Soccer Championship in Saint-Lambert, Que., as the OCAA champions and Seneca will join them as an OCAA wild card.
