Women's Soccer | 9/18/2025 10:00:00 AM
The York University Lions women's soccer team will look to make a move up the OUA West standings this weekend with a pair of crucial matches, as they try to maintain their grip on the final playoff spot in the West.
The Lions, who sit sixth in the division with five points after a 1-2-2 start to the year, will look to right the ship beginning Friday against the Waterloo Warriors. Waterloo is right below the Lions in the standings, making this a pivotal matchup for both squads. The Warriors, with naught but a draw to their name thus far, will look to find the win column for the first time.
If they do, the red and white will be just a point up on the black and gold for the final OUA West playoff spot. However, should York win, that will put some distance between themselves and Waterloo, giving them a seven-point cushion with the head-to-head tiebreaker.
Then, on Monday night, the Lions will look to spoil the unblemished season of the Guelph Gryphons, who will enter the match – their lone of the weekend – 5-0-1 and in first in the West. While catching the Gryphons is unlikely regardless of Monday's result, it could help York to move closer to the Windsor Lancers, whom they trail by four points in the standings after a heartbreaking loss in Windsor last weekend.
The Lions – missing reigning OUA West MVP in Nia Fleming-Thompson so far this season – have struggled to put the ball in the net consistently in her absence. Having scored just six times in five games, the Lions will lean on the likes of Sabrina Fabiano, who has two of the six Lion goals, Sienna Caesar, who has been held scoreless thus far, and others to help find some offence.
In contrast, after a solid start to the season on the defensive side, the Lions have allowed five goals in their last two matches. They have the talent on defence to prevent goals, with veterans like Erica Di Matteo, Giuliana Poalella and Bianca Jack fortifying an experienced back line. The Lions get back on track against a Waterloo team that has scored the third-fewest goals in the conference with three, while they will try to slow down a Gryphons team currently second in goals scored with 16.
It will be an important stretch for the Lions to play well, with their next four matches coming against Western and Brock, who sit fourth and third in the division, respectively. You can get tickets to Monday's match against Guelph here and watch both games live, free of charge on OUA.tv. Both games begin at 6:00 pm.
