Soccer semifinal for Mac

Two years ago, McMaster’s men’s soccer team made it all the way to the national tournament. Just as it did the year before. And two of the three seasons before that.

So when the players take the field for the Ontario semifinal on Friday, at York University, with a spot in the nationals on the line with a win that night, there will be some high expectations to maintain that kind of excellence.

“I think it’s good pressure, though,” says their head coach Dino Perri. “Nationals is the standard for us.”

Ultimately, a gold medal at the Canadian championships is the goal. Three years ago they claimed silver. But for now, getting there is the first target for the team ranked No. 8 in the country. Perri says simply playing in the Ontario final four isn’t enough.

There are challenges to reach that spot, however.

First, his team is young. Second, they haven’t played the nationally fourth-ranked Carleton side they’ll face on Friday, so they don’t know all that much about them. Except for the f act that they’re obviously pretty darn good, having lost just once this year and earning that ranking.

And then there’s the weather that is supposed to be chilly and possibly a little wet for a 6 p.m. kickoff. That can impact the game in all kinds of ways.

But riding a five-game winning streak in which his side has outscored opponents 13-2 — including last weekend’s 1-0 OUA quarter-final win over a Guelph team that had lost just three times all year — he’s confident he and his guys will be making their way to Kamloops, B.C., in a week to take a shot at the big trophy. Meaning he’s confident they’ll win on Friday.

“We’re in a good place right now,” Perri says.

If they do win that game, the provincial championship game will be Saturday at 4, also at York.