CAPERS defeat Sea-Hawks in AUS women’s soccer action
By Corey LeBlanc
SYDNEY – Defending conference MVP Alliyah Rowe (Kitchener, ON) notched a highlight reel, game-winning goal in the 87th minute as the Cape Breton University (CBU) Capers (6-0-1) edged the visiting Memorial Sea-Hawks (2-4-1) 1-0 in Atlantic University Sport (AUS) women's soccer action on Friday evening at Ness Timmons Soccer Field.
On the late marker, Madalyn Hatfield (Dartmouth, NS) struck a stellar diagonal ball that Audrey Roy (Petit Rocher, NB) one-touched volleyed into the wheelhouse of the Subway player of the match, who blasted a left-footed strike in the far post top corner behind Memorial keeper Leana Claude (Grenchen, SUI), who had no chance to make a save.
In a tightly contested opening half, one featuring stout defending on both sides, Abby Evans (St. John's, NL) garnered the first set piece opportunity, but the Sea-Hawks came up empty on a free kick from just outside the CBU box.
A short time later, in the 19th minute, the CAPERS collected a corner-kick chance, but they could not solve Claude and the Memorial defense.
In the 31st minute, off a Makenna Bowser (Barrie, ON) corner kick to the far post, Alliyah Rowe and Lauren Rowe (Conception Bay South, NL) could not get a touch on the ball before it rolled out of bounds.
Three minutes later, on another Bowser corner kick, Claude soared to gobble up the strike from the CBU defender.
In the 37th minute, Memorial engineered the most dangerous scoring chance of the first half, when Grace Nolan (Conception Bay South, NL) darted to make a steal and then fed Zoe Rowe (Conception Bay South, NL), who sent Claire Langille (Fall River, NS) down the wing. Her strike sailed over the cross bar behind CBU keeper Ellie Lancaster (Fall River, NS).
Leah Disipio (Ottawa, ON), in the 40th minute, stole the ball from a Sea-Hawk defender before curving a strike high and wide beyond the far goal post.
The CAPERS had two shots on goal in the first half, while the Sea-Hawks finished with one.
The sides were scoreless heading to the locker room at halftime.
In the second half, CBU came out flying in the opening five minutes. Off a nifty feed into the 18-yard box by Paige Allaby (Rothesay, NB), Alliyah Rowe directed a shot off the crossbar, with Haylie Clarke ripping the rebound over the bar and out of play.
The Sea-Hawks countered in the following few minutes, but they came up empty on opportunities from Zoe Rowe and Sarah Jones (Marystown, NL).
The teams continued to trade chances, often in the pounding rain, leading up to Alliyah Rowe's heroics; with Memorial's most dangerous scoring threat coming in the 75th minute when Langille uncoiled a strike labelled for the top corner but Lancaster climbed the ladder and poked it out of play to keep it scoreless.
Both teams return to action Sunday, Sept. 29, when the CAPERS host the rival Saint Mary's Huskies, while the Sea-Hawks will face the STFX X-Women at STFX Stadium in Antigonish.
Game time for both match-ups is 1 p.m. ADT.
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