The York University Lions women's soccer team finished in fourth place in the OUA after a 2-0 loss to the host Ottawa Gee-Gees in their bronze medal match at Matt Anthony Field in Ottawa on Sunday (Nov. 8).
 
The result was the program's best since winning the banner in 2009, their last appearance at the OUA Final Four Championships.
 
The two teams were feeling each other out through the first part of the game after both coming off tough semifinal losses on Saturday. The Lions controlled possession early but did not generate many good scoring chances.
 
The Gee-Gees finally opened the scoring in the 40^th minute on a solid strike by Julia Francki that went into the back of the net past York goalkeeper Taylor Grant (Brampton, Ont.). Ottawa carried its 1-0 lead into halftime.
 
The Lions had multiple good scoring chances in the early parts of the second half but could not get anything on net solidly. Sydney Hoareau (Brampton, Ont.) had one shot sail just wide, and another cross into the box rolled just past her outstretched leg and out of harms way.
 
With 28 minutes remaining, the Gee-Gees mounted a terrific rush from one end of the field to the other, but Grant made a leaping save to push the ball just over the crossbar and preserve the one-goal deficit.
 
Kiyani Johnson (Markham, Ont.) had a good chance with a point blank shot on net but it went straight to Ottawa goalkeeper Cynthia Leblanc and she caught it to keep it out.
 
The Gee-Gees secured the insurance marker they needed in the 70^th minute when a shot by Andree-Anne Sabourin bounced off the body of a York defender in the box and rolled just inside the post for a 2-0 Ottawa lead.
 
Late in the game, a shot by the Lions got past Leblanc but was cleared off the goal line by an Ottawa defender, and the Gee-Gees held on to take home the bronze medal.