Women's Soccer | 8/13/2025 10:00:00 AM
Despite a bounce-back campaign and coming within minutes – seconds, even – of a U SPORTS championship berth in 2024, the standard remains sky high for the York University Lions women's soccer team.
"A lot of people did well even if the results didn't always show, but it was disappointing," said head coach Carmine Isacco, whose team earned two playoff wins, including one over the top-seeded team in the OUA West and the No. 4 team in the country, the Western Mustangs.
"It's a look-at-yourself time where you say, 'maybe grit and fight and passion and sacrifice have a lot of value,'" he said. "We had a lot of talent, and we showed we had the ability to fight and compete, but we went into Nipissing, and their grit and sacrifice were better than ours. So, you have some 'a ha' moments and hopefully the players coming back understand what it's going to take to get to that next level."
While the way last season ended still stings – particularly given the group that was assembled – there were many positives to take from 2024 and build on as the Lions look to reach their first OUA championship since 2022.
"We take all the good that we have, and realize that we're as talented or more talented than anyone we play," said Isacco. "If we have that fight that we saw throughout the playoffs, think how good we can be."
The Lions boast some quality returning players for 2025, among them OUA West MVP Nia Fleming-Thompson, who was also named a U SPORTS first-team all-Canadian. The Biology major and pride of Mississauga, Ont., netted 12 goals last season – the third-most in the country – and scored in five consecutive games to open the season.
Others Isacco pointed to as key returning veterans this season are midfielder Erica Di Matteo, defenders Giuliana Paolella and Vanessa Reda as well as starting goalkeeper Charlotte Phillips.
Di Matteo, entering her fourth year as a Lion hailing from nearby Vaughan, Ont., will be relied on to continue playing a defence-first style in the midfield for the red and white. After starting only five games in last season after starting 11 in 2023, there appears to be potential to see her role increase with the loss of veteran Kalifornia Mitchell.
Paolella, a fourth-year educational studies and concurrent education student, and Reda, a fifth-year education student, will be key cogs on the Lions back end this season and lead a group full of veteran defenders. Phillips, a third-year goalkeeper will continue to carry the load between the pipes for York after starting eight of 12 regular season games and all three postseason matches last season.
We ought not forget about OUA second team all-star Sabrina Fabiano, who, in addition to setting a career-high in goals with five during the regular season, potted a pair of massive postseason goals. She scored the winner in the 100th minute of the quarterfinal win over Western and followed that up by scoring the equalizer early in the second half of the semi-final at Nipissing.
"She's going to have to be involved in a lot of goals, whether it's on the ball, runs off the ball," Isacco said of Fabiano. "She's proven to be very efficient, and we're looking at her to continue that."
Isacco knows the talent is there, but reminds us once again that the intangibles will be what leads to success.
"All these players are going to have to realize that, as much talent as they have, that talent doesn't mean much unless you have the variables of passion, sacrifice and fight," he said.
The Lions didn't do a ton of recruiting this offseason, instead choosing to focus on developing the current group of players. Their biggest splash was landing Joanna Abdelmalak, a local midfielder from Richmond Hill, Ont., who spent her rookie campaign with the Rider Broncs of the NCAA. Abdelmalak appeared in four matches last year for Rider as a substitute and registered four shots.
Another big add on the recruitment front is striker Sienna Caesar, who transitions from the hard court to the pitch. The 5'8 Oakville, Ont., native comes to York after spending two seasons with the Toronto Varsity Blues women's basketball team. Caesar, who also played soccer in her time at Thomas A. Blakelock S.S. in Oakville, was named the team's MVP and led the team in scoring at the AA OFSAA championship in 2023. In her two years with the Varsity Blues, she appeared in 22 and 20 games, respectively, as a reserve wing player.
"I think she can make an impact right away and help support the scoring role," Isacco said of the multi-sport athlete.
However, the Lions are looking at some internal pieces to step into bigger roles this season. A couple names Isacco pointed out were Dylana Makarowski, a fourth-year player who did not see action in 2024, as well as second-year Lion Olivia Zeitler, who sat out her rookie campaign.
"We're looking at players like that who were invested in us to grow into bigger roles on this team," said Isacco, who enters his 15th season as Lions women's head coach. "Those are the players we're looking at to make a difference."
For players like Fleming-Thompson, Di Matteo and Paolella, as well as the likes of veterans Brook-Lynne Mitchell and Bianca Jack it's now about elevating their game in order to take the next step and bring the program with them.
"These are ballers," Isacco said "These are good players that can take the group to the next level. This is what we're looking for them to do; this is the expectation.
"We're investing in this group, and we have so many names, but names on the field and producing on the field are two different things. Hopefully they have that substance, that inner drive to bring their games to the next level."
As for how far this squad can go, it will be up to the players to decide.
"(They'll be) as good as the want to be," Isacco said. "The OUA (West) is tough.. it's always a battle. It's going to take a continuous effort, energy level and compete level. There has to be that level of accountability that, 'I can make a difference for the whole group.'
"'How am I going to make that difference for the greater good,"' he continued. "They're going to have to perform their roles for each other, without questions."
The Lions open the 2025 season on home turf on Aug. 28 at 6:00 pm against the Laurier Golden Hawks. You can get your tickets here, and watch the game for free, live on OUA.tv.
