Playoff soccer at CBU
Atlantic University Sport men’s and women’s soccer championships
As the calendar changes to November, Atlantic University Sport soccer fans turn their attention to the league championship tournaments.
Cape Breton University will make history this week, becoming the first school to host both the men’s and women’s AUS soccer championships at the Cape Breton Health Recreation Complex in Sydney.
The four-day tournament will run from Thursday to Sunday at the CBU facility and will feature 12 teams — six in the men’s division and six in the women’s division.
In the men’s division, the host Cape Breton Capers enter the tournament as the defending AUS and U Sports national champions.
Cape Breton finished the regular season first overall in the league with a 10-1-1 record, extending the club’s undefeated streak to 29 straight games. The club scored the second-most goals (36) in the league, behind only the University of New Brunswick Reds (37). The club allowed only five goals against in 12 games.
“We’re feeling very good, but at the same time, I have a lot of respect for the other teams here,” said Capers head coach Deano Morley.
“The AUS is the toughest conference in Canada — let’s get that straight — so we respect our opponents, we prepare for them. It’s a win or go home and that’s why teams play these games.”
Although Cape Breton finished seven points ahead of the St. Francis Xavier X-Men for first place in the league, only two points separated second place and fourth place in the standings.
The X-Men (8-3-1) finished second in the league with 25 points, followed by the UNB Reds (7-2-3) with 24 points, Dalhousie Tigers (7-3-2) with 23 points, and the Acadia Axemen (7-4-1) with 22 points. Moncton (5-7-0-0) ended the year in sixth place with 15 points.
Reds head coach Miles Pinsent expects the New Brunswick club to play its best soccer of the year.
“We have improved significantly during the season,” said Pinsent. “Our form has been good over the last month, so we just want to continue with what we have been doing.”
Tigers head coach Pat Nearing considers this year’s men’s league to be “exceptionally tight.”
“Any team can win on a given day,” said Nearing. “We will take the tournament game-by-game and see where good play and a little luck takes us.”
As for the Axemen, head coach Findlay MacRae said his club will do whatever it takes to make it to Sunday’s final.
“We need to play with consistency and eliminate individual mistakes,” said the 12-year bench boss. “We are a very positive team going forward and have the ability to challenge teams and score goals.”
In the women’s division, Cape Breton also enters the tournament as defending champion, winning the 2017 title in Antigonish last November.
The Capers finished atop the AUS standings with a 10-1-1 record, tied with the MacRae Acadia Axewomen (10-11), who Cape Breton handed its first loss of the season to on Oct. 26 in Wolfville.
“All six teams are going into this tournament wanting to win it,” said Capers head coach Stephen (Ness) Timmons.
“We’ve been there before and that’s our ultimate goal, of course, but it’s one game at a time, so our focus is Friday afternoon at 2 p.m.”
Timmons isn’t taking the tournament for granted.
“We don’t know our opposition yet for Friday, but we know in single-knockout tournaments we’ve been on both ends of the scores, so we’ll be prepared for the games.”
After the Axewomen, Tye who finish second overall based on wins head-to-head with Cape Breton, the standings include Dalhousie (7-4-1 – 22 points), St. FX (5-3-4 – 19 points), Saint Mary’s (6-5-1 – 19 points), and the Memorial SeaHawks (4-4-4 – 16 points) wrapping up the top six.
Tigers head coach Cindy Tye expects her club, which finished third in the regular season, to do everything they can to move on in the tournament.
“It will be a total team effort,” said Tye.
“They will have to compete throughout and ride the ups and downs of playoffs.”
SeaHawks head Nearing coach Mike Power believes the key to success for the Newfoundland team will be trusting the process.
“We are especially strong defensively, and I think that will be an advantage in these cagey little playoff matches,” said Power. “We will just focus on one task at a time, and not get caught up too far ahead. Small details add up.”
The AUS championships will begin today in the women’s division with Dalhousie and Memorial at 11:30 a.m., followed by St. FX and Saint Mary’s at 2 p.m.
Later in the afternoon, in the men’s division, UNB will play Moncton at 4:30 p.m., followed by Dalhousie and Acadia at 7 p.m.