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Gee-Gees claim soccer title
The best in Canada.
Following their 2-1 win over the Trinity Western Spartans Sunday at Gee-Gee’s Field, that’s the moniker the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees women’s soccer team can use. The Gee- Gees are national champions for the second time in the program’s history.
They won their only other title back in 1996 and were making their first appearance at the national championship tournament since 2005.
“It was well worth the wait. It was a great season and I’m so proud of these girls,” said Steve Johnson, who has been the program’s only head coach since its inception in 1994.
“This whole year has been wonderful and it’s a really good group of girls. No egos. Nobody is a superstar, yet everybody is a superstar. They’ve been very good as a team, probably one of the most together teams since 1996, and the results show on the field.”
The Gee- Gees were coming off a 4-1 semifinal win over the McMaster Marauders on Saturday, and although the Spartans were carrying the play early Sunday, it was the Gee- Gees who broke through first.
Mikayla Morton took a shot along the turf that simply went through Spartans goalkeeper Rachel Sydor. As she went down to try and smother the ball it rolled through her legs in the 19th minute.
The Spartans fought back, with Seina Kashima scoring a beautiful goal with a long chip shot over the head of Margot Shore in the 24th minute.
“They were pressing us quite a bit for the first 10 minutes, but once we got that goal I think it gave us a spark. Once they scored it was tough, it was a nice shot, but we came back in the second half and we were able to maintain the lead,” said Morton, who had two goals in Saturday’s semifinal win.
“Number one in Canada, that’s literally the best feeling ever.”
That was the only goal Shore would allow as she made a couple of big saves, including a diving stop off Jenaya Robertson in the 72nd minute with the Gee- Gees leading 2-1.
That second Ottawa goal came off the foot of Miranda Smith in the 64th minute as she drove a ball from 30 yards out off the crossbar and in behind Sydor.
“I was standing right beside Miranda, holding off a defender, and I just had faith in that shot. When it went in I wasn’t surprised,” forward Emma Lefebvre said.
“She is our best player, in my opinion, and that was an amazing strike.”
Smith was named the player of the game for the Gee- Gees and also selected as the tournament’s best player.
“She’s been our best player I think all year. Maybe a little bit unrecognized but she does such a great defensive job, and I was so happy to see her get that goal and put a little bit more shine on that gold medal,” Johnson said.
As for Smith, the goal was a culmination of the work she put in.
“I’ve been working on shooting all season and it paid off,” Smith said, adding it was extra special having the tournament in Ottawa.
“All our families and friends could come out to support us, it’s obviously great playing on our home field, but it’s been an amazing experience. We’ve had all the students coming out to support us and the other sports teams, so it was awesome to have that support behind us.”
To that point, Lefebvre said they wanted to earn their spot and not just represent the school as hosts.
“We didn’t want to be that team that got in just because we were hosting. We won OUA provincials and that was a huge confidence boost for us coming into this tournament,” Lefebvre said.
“This is absolutely incredible. I never expected to win something as big as this and I’m on the most deserving team ever. We worked so hard and we deserve this national title.”
Earlier in the day, the Cape Breton Capers earned a 1-0 win over the Marauders to take home the bronze medal.
Rachel Leck scored in the 48th minute for the game’s only goal and Rachel Yerxa collected the clean sheet.