The York University Lions soccer teams looked to begin the 2024 season on a positive note against the McMaster Marauders in their season opener on home turf at York Lions Stadium.

Women's Match:

The Lions women's team were looking to bounce back from a disappointing 2023 season, where they finished 2-4-6 and had their decade-long playoff appearance streak snapped. The Marauders, meanwhile, were seeking to build upon a strong 2023 campaign that saw them finish 9-4-2 and advance to the OUA bronze medal game. 

Both teams opened the game at a fast-pace, with the Lions adopting a triangle offence when they had possession of the ball. However, the Marauders drew the first marker of the match, when, in the 21st minute, midfielder Jade Abreo blew past the Lions defence and kicked the ball into the upper-right corner of the net to give McMaster a 1-0 lead.

Later in the opening half, McMaster added to their lead. In the 40th minute, midfielder Ravina Braich lobbed a corner kick into a crowd of players. Marauders defender Bryanna Caldwell hit the ball in the Lions net to give McMaster a 2-0 heading into halftime.

Looking for a spark to get back in the game, 2022 OUA West rookie of the year Nia Fleming-Thompson provided just that in the second half. In the 50th minute, Fleming-Thompson connected on a pass to Maia Torelli, who scored York's first goal to get the Lions back in the game down 2-1. 

As the half second half progressed, Fleming-Thompson continued to shine. In the 66th minute, she scored a goal off an assist from Keira Kent to tie the game at 2-2.

Both teams attempted to rally for the win as the game was winding down. Fleming-Thompson looked to put an exclamation point on her excellent night with the game-winning goal in the 89th minute. However, McMaster goalie Jana Febbraro made the save and the game finished in a 2-2 tie.

The opening night tie marks a sign of improvement for the Lions, taking one of the elite teams in the OUA to the limit.

LOOKING AHEAD: The Lions will look to build on this momentum on Sunday, September 1st against the Laurier Golden Hawks in the second game of their three game homestand to open the season.

Men's Match:

The York Lions men's soccer team hold the reputation of being among the best squads in the country. Coming off of a 11-4-3 season in which they earned a berth in the OUA Championship match, where they captured silver, and won the 5th-place match at the U SPORTS championships.

The Lions seeked a fast start against McMaster. The McMaster University Marauders men's soccer team are coming off a strong season themselves, finishing with a 8-5-1 record and making the 2nd round of the OUA playoffs. 

The Lions got off to a blazing start, taking a 2-0 lead by the 25th minute. The first goal came in the 15th minute, when Yigal Bruk scored off a brilliant behind-the-back effort to give York the lead. The second tally came in the 24th minute, when midfielder Luca Accettola scored off an assist from last year's OUA West MVP, Christian Zeppieri. The Lions nearly added another goal in the 44th minute after a corner kick from Ryan Robinson, but McMaster held off the scoring attempt and entered halftime down 2-0. 

The Lions placed the clamps on McMaster throughout the game. The Marauders didn't score on any of their nine total shots, and couldn't capitalize on six corner kicks.

York, meanwhile, kept the pressure on in the 2nd half. In the 63rd minute, Zeppieri nearly scored on a header that went wide of goal. 

This was a statement victory for the Lions, dispatching one of their top rivals in their home opener. They will look to keep the momentum going against the Laurier Golden Hawks on September 1st at York Lions Stadium. Kickoff is set for 1:00 pm.