Capers on to the CIS semifinals
November 7, 2013
TORONTO (CIS) – CIS all-Canadian and AUS MVP Karolyne Blain scored the lone goal to lead the Cape Breton Capers to a narrow 1-0 victory over the host Toronto Varsity Blues in the fourth quarter-final of the 2013 CIS women's soccer championship Thursday night at Varsity Centre.
Toronto outshot Cape Breton 7-1 in their first-ever meeting, but Capers goalkeeper Tiffany O'Donnell of Cole Harbour, N.S. stood tall to earn the shut out.
With the win, the Capers advance to the championship side of the bracket for the first time since claiming the national title in 2007. They will take on the defending CIS champion Tirnity Western Spartans, who shut out the OUA champion Laurier Golden Hawks 3-0 earlier in the day, in Saturday's semi-final tilt at 4:30 p.m.
Cape Breton is the only remaining undefeated team in the CIS after Thursday's quarter-final matches.
The Varsity Blues take on the Hawks in an all-OUA consolation semifinal tomorrow at 4:30 p.m.
"It was a gritty performance," said AUS coach of the year and Capers bench boss Ness Timmons. "The first half they played hard and once we got the goal the girls sat back and defended and held Toronto very well. Karolyne is always a threat. Any time she's on the ball she can make something happen."
Blain, of Copper Cliff, Ont., got Cape Breton on the board in the 71st minute as she received a through ball from Alyssa Armstrong (St. John's, Nfld.) and sent a wide-angle shot through traffic to beat Blues goalkeeper Sara Petrucci (Bolton, Ont.).
Blues rookie striker Claudia Piazza of Brampton, Ont., had a chance to even the score 10 minutes later as she received a centering pass from veteran Aisha Lewis (Mississauga, Ont.), but her shot sailed over the net.
Toronto continued to pressure, outshooting Cape Breton 5-1 in the second half and sent a flurry of shots on the net in the final minutes of action but were unable to solve O'Donnell.
"It was an unbelieveable performance by our team," said Varsity Blues head coach Anthony Capotosto. "I've been associated with Varsity Blues soccer since 1997 and I can say with 100 percent certainty that I have never been more proud of a team that I am tonight."
"I could talk about every single player that was out there today and the performance that they gave and the passion that they showed for the program. It was tremendous."
Toronto outshot Cape Breton 7-1 in their first-ever meeting, but Capers goalkeeper Tiffany O'Donnell of Cole Harbour, N.S. stood tall to earn the shut out.
With the win, the Capers advance to the championship side of the bracket for the first time since claiming the national title in 2007. They will take on the defending CIS champion Tirnity Western Spartans, who shut out the OUA champion Laurier Golden Hawks 3-0 earlier in the day, in Saturday's semi-final tilt at 4:30 p.m.
Cape Breton is the only remaining undefeated team in the CIS after Thursday's quarter-final matches.
The Varsity Blues take on the Hawks in an all-OUA consolation semifinal tomorrow at 4:30 p.m.
"It was a gritty performance," said AUS coach of the year and Capers bench boss Ness Timmons. "The first half they played hard and once we got the goal the girls sat back and defended and held Toronto very well. Karolyne is always a threat. Any time she's on the ball she can make something happen."
Blain, of Copper Cliff, Ont., got Cape Breton on the board in the 71st minute as she received a through ball from Alyssa Armstrong (St. John's, Nfld.) and sent a wide-angle shot through traffic to beat Blues goalkeeper Sara Petrucci (Bolton, Ont.).
Blues rookie striker Claudia Piazza of Brampton, Ont., had a chance to even the score 10 minutes later as she received a centering pass from veteran Aisha Lewis (Mississauga, Ont.), but her shot sailed over the net.
Toronto continued to pressure, outshooting Cape Breton 5-1 in the second half and sent a flurry of shots on the net in the final minutes of action but were unable to solve O'Donnell.
"It was an unbelieveable performance by our team," said Varsity Blues head coach Anthony Capotosto. "I've been associated with Varsity Blues soccer since 1997 and I can say with 100 percent certainty that I have never been more proud of a team that I am tonight."
"I could talk about every single player that was out there today and the performance that they gave and the passion that they showed for the program. It was tremendous."