An OUA silver medal, and an appearance at the U SPORTS championship will go down in the history books as the highlights of the season for the 2022 York University Lions women's soccer team, as they dropped a 4-1 decision to the UBC Thunderbirds in the U SPORTS championship's consolation semifinal.
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The loss ends a memorable campaign for York, who went until the OUA championship game without registering a road loss.
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After arriving at the U SPORTS championship on the back of an upset of the No. 2 nationally ranked Queen's Gaels in the OUA semifinal, the Lions couldn't strike twice against the UBC Thunderbirds, who held down the No. 1 ranking in Canada for most of the season.
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HOW IT HAPPENED
- The T-Birds wasted no time getting on the right side of the scoresheet, scoring two quick goals just three minutes apart in the 20th and 23rd minutes. Ella Nuttal-Smith and Ava Alexander got the scoring started for UBC, and that gave them a handle on the game.
- The Lions weren't done though, thanks to a contribution from team captain Jotam Chouhan. In what would ultimately be her final U SPORTS game, she launched a long pass to find Nia Fleming-Thompson, who stayed onside and got behind the defenders, and touching a low ball past the keeper to cut the UBC lead in half.
- That would be all the offence York could muster, however, and the No. 1 seeded UBC Thunderbirds added to their lead after the game came out of halftime.
- First, Danielle Steer had the 3-1 goal for UBC right as the game came out of halftime in the 51st minute. Then the T-Birds put the game out of reach shortly thereafter, with Ella Sunde making the score 4-1. It would stay that way until the final whistle, putting an end to the Lions' season.
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING
