Capers rally to defeat Mounties 4-2 in AUS women’s soccer action
By Corey LeBlanc
Sydney – It was a tale of two halves as the hometown Cape Breton University (CBU) Capers (7-1-0) rallied for a 4-2 victory over the Mount Allison Mounties (0-7-1) in Atlantic University Sport (AUS) women's soccer action Saturday evening on home turf at Ness Timmons Field.
The visitors came out strongly in the first half, collecting much of the possession time in the first seven minutes.
The CBU offense started to awaken, as they put more pressure on the Mount Allison 'D,' including keeper Lennon Rutledge (Hammonds Plains, NS), who helped keep the Capers off the scoreboard.
In the 12th minute, off a free kick from Amy Anne Ndiaye (Ile-Bizard, QC), first-year striker Leah Disipio (Ottawa, ON) picked up the loose ball and dribbled across the top part of the box before ripping a volley into the top corner behind Rutledge to make it 1-0.
The Mounties didn't take long to answer, notching the equalizer in the 15th minute. Off a Kathryn Perry (Riverview, NB) corner kick, which sailed over the outstretched hands of CBU keeper Chloe Parsons (Balls Creek, NS), Hailey Frampton (Oshawa, ON) soared to head home the 1-1 marker.
Olivia Albright (Ottawa, ON) garnered the next quality scoring opportunity for the Capers, but her strike sailed over the crossbar; moments before Frampton tested Parsons, but her shot bounced wide of the net to the left of Parsons.
Moments after the Capers came up empty on a corner kick, the hustle of striker Victoria Jones (Ajax, ON) in pressuring the CBU back line led to one for the Mounties. Her hustle also created the corner kick chance that resulted in Mount Allison's opening tally.
On that second corner kick, in the 33rd minute, Perry deposited it into box and, on the ensuing goal line scramble, Talia Friesen (Halifax, NS) gobbled up a rebound and put a shot in off the hands of Parsons to make it 2-1.
In the remaining minutes before intermission, the Capers had a couple of corner kicks, but were unable to knot the contest, while – in the 43rd minute – Disipio found Grace Hannaford (Enfield, NS), whose chip on goal went high and wide.
The Mounties led 2-1 at halftime.
In the second half, a determined CBU side came out of the locker room, pressuring the Mounties and penning them in their end.
In the 50th minute, off a great run Alliyah Rowe (Kitchener, ON) fed Lauren Rowe (Conception Bay South, NL), who tucked a strike inside the near goal post behind Rutledge to even the contest 2-2.
The Capers regained the lead, in the 57th minute, when Alliyah Rowe climbed the ladder and headed a Makenna Bowser (Bible Hill, NS) corner kick into the net to make it 3-2.
CBU continued to exert plenty of pressure on the Mounties, with little or no time spent in their defensive zone in front of Parsons.
In the 75th minute, the Capers notched an insurance marker, with Disipio collecting her second of the match. After working a nifty give-and-go with Hannaford, a streaking Lauren Rowe made a perfect cross to Disipio, who hit a right-footed strike that eluded a diving Rutledge to make it 4-2.
The Mounties rally came up empty, including on three consecutive corner kicks in the stoppage time.
Parsons made three stops for the victory, while Rutledge recorded seven saves in the loss.
Lauren Rowe was named the Chartwells player of the match for the Capers.
During the pre-game, CBU Athletics and the Capers marked the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Before the opening kick-off, Andrea Curry – CBU/Unama'ki College in Business Atlantic Region Manager – spoke about the importance and significance of the national holiday – before Suri Paul of Eskasoni First Nation gave a stirring anthem performance of O Kanata in Mi'kmaq. And, at halftime, the entertainment reflected the theme of the day.
The Capers will be back in action on Friday, Oct. 13, when they welcome the Memorial SeaHawks to Ness Timmons Field, while the Mounties will host the UNB Reds on that same evening.
Kick-off for both matches is 5 p.m. ADT.