Knights sweep into soccer playoffs
Niagara College hosts crossover qualifiers Saturday
Niagara College ended soccer’s first season on a winning note and heads into the second assured of hosting a non-division opponent in a playoff game.
A sweep of the visiting St. Clair Saints in a doubleheader Sunday at Youngs Sportsplex in Welland improved to Niagara to 7-2-1 and 7-3 in men’s and women’s soccer, respectively.
Romario James faced 15 shots and made six saves backstopping the Knights to a 2-0 victory over their visitors from Windsor.
Oti Frigole, a St. Catharines native and Governor Simcoe Secondary School graduate, accounting for all the scoring with the 10th and 11th goal of his freshman season in the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA).
It was the third shutout of the season for the sophomore from the Bahamas and the team’s fourth overall.
He also earned the clean slate in Niagara’s 1-0 victory in the opening game of season series Sept. 15 in Windsor.
Head coach Frank DeChellis wasn’t pleased with how the men’s team came out against the Saints this time, winners of four of their last six games and a squad determined to clinch third place in the West Division.
“We were a little sloppy and slow to get into the game,” he said.
“Luckily, we were awarded a penalty kick at six minutes to give us a bit of a boost, but we still didn’t play better.”
Standing between the Knights, second in the west, and a berth in the OCAA championships Oct. 25-27 at George Brown College in Toronto are the Seneca Sting, the fourth-place finisher in the east and Niagara’s opponent in a crossover playoff at 3:30 p.m. Saturday in Welland.
“The real work starts now,” DeChellis said. “The rookies have learned a lot up till now and performed well, but they are going to experience playoff soccer, which is a completely different animal.
“I am excited for them and look forward to them succeeding.”
Knights 2, Saints 1
Niagara’s one-two punch on offence — sophomore Michelle Maecker, rookie Katelyn Mix — provided all the offence the women’s team needed to finish league play with the program’s best regular-season record to date.
Maecker, an E.L. Crossley alum, netted her seventh of the season and Mix, from Gilford, Ont., northeast of Sarnia, scored her sixth of the campaign.
A solid two-way against a de-
termined St. Clair team was highlighted by standout turns from midfielder Sophia Al-Kayed, a St. Francis grad, as well from as defender Sam Macsai, who played her high school soccer at Lakeshore Catholic in Port Colborne.
With the win, the Knights completed a sweep of a home-andhome season series with St. Clair. Niagara took the opener 2-0 Sept. 15 in Windsor.
“I can’t say enough about this team,” head coach Rob Lalama said.
“They’ve worked hard all season and, despite our achievements, are collectively aware of the things we need to improve on.”
Niagara, which finished league play second in the west, hosts the fourth-place team from the Central Division, the George Brown Huskies, in a playoff qualifier Saturday. Kickoff at Youngs Sportsplex is 1:30 p.m.
Winner advances to the provincial championships taking place Oct. 25-27 at Seneca College in Toronto.