The Marauders were flying high entering their quarterfinal matchup against the reigning Ontario University Athletics champions, the Guelph Gryphons. Mac was administered a tough task against the Gryphons, knowing Guelph had previously won their first round matchup with ease.
Coming off a bye week, the Marauders were well rested and determined to capture the trophy so many other teams sought after. Despite a season with questionable defending, the Marauders were able to slow down the Gryphon offence, keeping them at bay allowing only four shots, en route to their impressive 1-0 win while getting redemption for last year’s early playoff exit. The quarterfinal win sent McMaster to the final four for the first time in three seasons.
On Nov. 3, York University played host to the medal round after finishing first place during the regular season, granting them the pleasure of home field advantage. This weekend saw the final four teams battle head-to-head, all attempting to claim the right to be crowned champions. McMaster was seeded to face an explosive Carleton University, who previously won their quarterfinal matchup 7-0.
“I believe we were all mentally prepared heading into Friday’s game, knowing that if we came out victorious, we would get the opportunity to play in British Columbia for nationals,” said keeper Jesse Di Domenico.
Inevitably, the game began with both teams reluctant to make the first mistake, resulting in a series of long balls and errant passes while the teams tried to feel each other out. The first half saw neither team able to distinguish who was more dominate, making room for an exciting and highly anticipated second half.
Unfortunately for McMaster, the second half was abysmal. The Marauders came out flat, conceding the first goal within the first five minutes of the second half.
Five Marauders were named to the OUA All-Star team. Striker Dusan Kovacevic and midfielder Yunus Mollayev were selected to the First Team. Tony Li, Sasha Ricciuti and Jesse Di Domenico were added to the Second Team.
The opening goal changed the dynamic of the game for the Marauders as they were forced to attack. Unfortunately, this left their defence as a liability, which the Ravens intended on fully exposing. Offence was the issue for the Marauders as the Ravens kept McMaster off the score sheet throughout the entire 90 minutes, securing their 3-0 victory.
“They had a strong attacking line which exposed us on the counter attack,” explained Di Domenico. “We kept up and played well during the first half but we just couldn’t generate any attack, which led to no scoring chances. We lost control of the game in the second half.”
Di Domenico was McMaster’s best player throughout the duration of the match. Despite conceding three goals, he made multiple saves in consecutive fashion helping keep the frustrated Marauders in the game for majority of the match, ultimately stopping 12 of the 15 shots he faced.
With Friday’s game in the past and the bronze medal match on the horizon, the Marauders were looking to sharpen up their attack against the Ryerson Rams. This anti-climatic match had the Marauders stunned within minutes. Down 2-0 less than 20 minutes into the match, McMaster was forced to play catch up once again and come from behind for the second time in two matches.
Disaster struck and frustration finally hit its peak when Yunus Mollayev was sent off with a red card in the 27th minute. Down two goals, and now forced to play with 10 men, the game was all but over entering half time. McMaster had one last surge, directing seven shots on net throughout the course of the second half, unfortunately to no avail. Ryerson added another goal late in the match, solidifying their victory and the bronze medal.
All said and done, McMaster ended the season in fourth place, falling two spots from where they ended the regular season. Despite having a postseason to forget, there were many bright spots on this young McMaster team.
Five players were named to the OUA All-Star list, with two of those players being named to the First Team list. Striker Dusan Kovacevic and midfielder Yunus Mollayev were selected to the First Team, while Tony Li, Sasha Ricciuti and Jesse Di Domenico were added to the Second Team.
The future is bright for this young Marauders team despite finishing without a medal after a strong outing in the regular season. Although the team was unable to meet expectations, the bar has been set for the future and the possibilities are endless.
During a season of many highs and lows, the Marauders showed a great deal of camaraderie in their battle against the odds to win an OUA Championship. Morale must remain high and confidence should not waver, as the McMaster Marauders will continue to strive in the right direction before entering their new season.
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By: Lucas Uggenti
Following a rather unsuccessful 2016 season, the McMaster Marauders men’s soccer team was determined to flip the script and make the 2017 campaign a much more lucrative one.
Facing adversity right from the get-go, the soccer team was going to be without their returning veterans Aleks Vincic, Marco Gennaccaro and Kieran Doyle-Davis. All three had solidified a starting position on last year’s roster and played an important role as the team leaders on and off the pitch. While the loss of the team’s big three left a hole in the roster, this made room for new players to step up and claim the leadership role.
The team forged ahead, leaning heavily on their new fifth-year players, hoping they would be able to fill the void. Having trained together as a team throughout the offseason and improving with every training session, the transitional period came with ease and the integration of a new formation and system suited the players well, leaving team morale high entering the new season.
“Confidence was high, we played as a unit and trusted one another,” said Carlo Difeo, starting right wing back. “We worked a lot harder collectively and it made all the difference.”
The team came out firing on all cylinders, exploding for a 6-0 victory in their first game against Waterloo. A total of nine players registered at least one point in their season opener while keeper Tristan Joyce made five saves en route to the team’s first clean sheet of the season. Following the dominating win against Waterloo, the boys defeated Laurier in defensive fashion, earning yet another clean sheet in a 1-0 victory.
Optimism was as the forefront of emotions for head coach Dino Perri who saw his team start the season off well, dominating their first two games, which was considerably different than last year’s start.
Despite such a strong start to the season, McMaster is challenged with playing in one of the toughest leagues in the country, resulting in a wave of difficult games. The Marauders were beaten in two of their next three games, gaining only three out of a possible nine points.
“We had a lot of ups and downs, starting the season with two opening wins and making a big statement to league,” stated Difeo. “Unfortunately, the losses to York and Western were upsetting, knowing we were the better team. It gave us a reality check, realizing we have to take every game seriously from this point on.”
A reality check was certainly in place, as the Marauders strung together a series of wins in consecutive fashion following the tough loss to York. The Marauders were dealt a tough rebound game playing the defending league champions, the Guelph Gryphons.
The boys defeated last year’s champion with ease, holding a 4-2 lead after the final whistle blew. The game seemed to spark the Marauders as they continued to steam roll ahead, winning their next three contests and claiming points in four of five games.
A big part of the team’s success thus far has been the performance of Sasha Ricciuti, Yunus Mallayev and Chris Luxton. Ricciuiti has been the most productive Marauder this season, tallying a total of seven goals and three assists for a total of 10 points in 14 games played.
“Everything goes through Mallayev,” said Perri. “He’s been great as a player and a good leader on and off the pitch. Ricciuiti and Luxton are fifth-year guys, they know what it takes. Their biggest contribution is passing on their leadership to the young guys on the team.”
The Marauders finished the season on a strong note, rattling off four more wins outscoring their opponents 12-2. The team will finish with three more wins and a total of seven more points than last season. Ending on a high note, the team plans to keep their momentum up heading into the postseason.
“The regular season has been a success thus far, but the real season starts in the playoffs and the standard is nationals,” stated a determined coach Perri. “We’re in the toughest league in Canada, anyone we meet from here on in will be a tough game. As long as we’re prepared and come out to do what were capable of, we’ll be okay.”
McMaster erased any negative notion that this season was going to be a struggle. Coach Perri was able to describe the season in one phrase, stating it was a “learning curve”, adding, “The guys did a great job of adapting and making the season a good one.”
The determined Marauder squad will finish second place in the table with a total of 37 points. They have earned themselves a bye to the quarterfinals, which will take place Oct. 28.
There were some growing pains for this up-and-coming young Marauders team but this year was not robbed of its entertainment. There were no shortages of compelling storylines during this impressive season, leaving expectations high as they enter the playoffs.
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By: Griffin Marsh
Heading into the second half of the season, the McMaster men’s soccer team looks to continue to find the back of the net at an impressive rate while shutting down teams at the other end.
The Marauders have already played nine games of their 16-game season with lots of positive moments to reflect on. McMaster is scoring at a rate of three goals per game, fourth highest in all of U Sports.
This is a different place than Mac has found itself in previous years. Perhaps it’s the different personnel or a younger team, but overall, head coach Dino Perri is very positive about what he sees.
“Scoring is tough, but stopping teams is a little easier at times, so I am happy about where we are at,” said Perri. “We are still relatively young, so the inconsistency of a young team is there. Be more consistent and stronger on the defensive end and I think we will be in good shape going forward.”
The Marauders faced an interesting double-header Sept. 23 and 24. Playing Windsor and Western, both games presented challenges. The travel time to Windsor will always play a role in Mac’s performance, and Western is a team that always presents a good test. Despite the challenges, Mac was able to win both games and added six more goals to their season total.
“[Windsor’s] record may not be indicative of where they have been in the past… but playing on their field, which can be a little bit difficult, always presents a challenge,” said Perri of McMaster’s first opponent. “We are used to the two games in a weekend type of thing and we take one game at a time and constantly preach to the guys to not underestimate your opponent.”
Looking beyond this weekend, the remainder of the season and the future of the team looks bright for McMaster. The team has a young and ambitious cohort but they are also focused and driven on their immediate future. For Perri, the goals for this season have been and will always remain the same: to compete and challenge for a championship in Nov., and this still remains in reach.
A new piece on the team and a player already playing key roles is freshman offensive mid-fielder, Anand Sergeant. Sergeant has impressed through the first half of the season, scoring two goals and adding two assists while starting in all seven games. For coach Perri, what stands out about Sergeant is his soccer IQ.
“He is very intelligent, extremely intelligent,” said Perri. “A smart player, who works to no end. Transition into university is just the understanding of the game. It is a big jump and he has done it seamlessly.”
Sergeant has the talent to add to this team, but for himself, the keys to success are a humble attitude and a balanced life.
"We always have the belief and the mentality that we will win, no matter who we are facing."
Anand Sergeant
Men's Soccer Team
“I’m very grateful the coaches have given me a chance to play and show that I can play at this level,” said Sergeant. “Having an immediate impact on my team was a goal I had coming into university, so I’m very happy to be playing. It’s a proud feeling wearing the McMaster logo and representing my school on the field.”
The adjustment into university and varsity life can be a real challenge for some, but Sergeant credited a thoughtful organization and proactive attitude for his initial comfort.
“It has definitely been an adjustment in terms of balancing both school and soccer,” said Sergeant. “It’s a commitment that requires me to make sacrifices in my social life, and the time I have to ‘relax’ in a day — but these are things I expected in advance.”
Moving forward, Sergeant is as equally optimistic as coach Perri about this team’s future in the short- and long-term.
“I believe we have a team that’s capable of doing big things,” Sergeant said. “We have a great balance of veterans with our first and second-year players, and we have such good depth in every position. One thing I like about us is that we always have the belief and the mentality that we will win, no matter who we are facing.”
McMaster is in a tight race to top the Ontario University Athletics West standings and with more positive results against top teams, their chances will continue to look brighter. One thing is for certain though: this team is set up to challenge in the OUA and U Sports competition for years to come.
Up next for the team is a Friday night fight against the Laurier Golden Hawks.
When discussing men’s soccer rivals at McMaster University, two teams that are automatically brought to the conversation are the York Lions and the Guelph Gryphons.
On Sept. 7, over 2,000 roaring fans attended York’s Frosh Frenzy game, making it impossible for the Marauders to match the momentum of their longtime rivals.
After starting off their season 3-1 with an impressive 12 total goals, the Marauders fell 5-2 in this heated rivalry matchup. Mac coach Dino Perri indicated that both York’s experience and the rowdy atmosphere of the stadium had a major impact on the outcome of the game.
“We’re a little bit inexperienced and we played a pretty experienced team who came out pretty fast. I don't think we were quite ready for the pace of the game and the atmosphere of the stadium,” he said.
With a team comprised mainly of younger players, the intense atmosphere on the road was new for many, but it served as a helpful learning opportunity for all.
“A game like today was like being at nationals, which is a really good experience for our guys and something I don't think they're gonna get playing against any other team,” Perri said. “It’s something that the majority of our team never experienced.”
While the excitement of the crowd may have come as a shock, the nature of the game, heavily influenced by the rivalry, was no surprise. With 23 combined fouls (9 for Mac, 14 for York), it was clear that both teams were playing each other with their history in mind.
Although the Lions are now 8-2 over Mac in their last 10 meetings, for Perri, the backstory between the two teams does not define their future.
“The two teams’ history plays a big part, but in the second half we answered a lot of questions that we can actually play with them when we want to and that there is nothing to fear. If they take away all the noise and go out and play properly, they're more than capable.”
Just two days after their loss, the Marauders proved that they were indeed more than capable. McMaster faced their other rivals, the Guelph Gryphons, and beat the defending Ontario University Athletics champions in a solid 4-2 victory.
Just like when playing at York, the Marauders knew that their history with Guelph played a huge role in the match and told them what to expect on the field from the Gryphons.
“They play a very fast and physical type of game and we just have to adapt properly.” Perri said.
“If [McMaster] come out playing like they're capable of like they did today [at York] in the second half, we should be able to come away with a victory.”
By defeating Guelph, who they also happened to fall short to in last year’s OUA quarterfinals, the Marauders proved to the naysayers that they can keep up with the best of the best. So look out Lions, because on October 6 the McMaster’s men’s soccer team will be ready.
By: Eamon Hillis
The Marauders began their playoff journey Wednesday Oct. 26 in an Ontario University Athletics preliminary qualifier at home against Windsor. Mac snatched the decisive 4-0 victory from the overmatched Lancers, advancing to challenge Guelph in the quarter finals.
Everything seemed to fall in McMaster’s favour against Windsor. The Lancers entered their Oct. 26 matchup with significant injury struggles, and was not able to send a full roster. Additionally, they acquired two red cards late in the game which opened the door for Mac to seal the win with three quick goals all after the 60th minute.
“It went as well as could be expected,” head coach Dino Perri said of the Windsor game. “We didn’t really have to exert too much and we came out unscathed by injuries. It was a tough challenge, but our opponents came into the game short staffed, and it was close until they went down a couple men down late.”
In McMaster’s Sunday quarter-final game against Guelph on Oct. 30, however, it was a much different narrative. As the visiting them, facing the higher seeded Gryphons, they would not be victorious. The 3-1 loss would serve as the bitter end to an underwhelming season.
Guelph took the lead very early on, netting two goals in the first and fifth minute. Mac could not recover in spite of having an equal number of chances.
“We went down 2-0 in the first few minutes and then they scored a third goal about fifteen minutes later,” Perri said. “We ended up having a lot of chances ourselves and couldn’t capitalize on them. [Guelph] didn’t do a whole lot to beat us, we beat ourselves. It just wasn’t meant to be today.”
In Mac’s two regular season meetings with Guelph, both ended in a tie. Their first match which ended 0-0 was a competitive matchup with eleven yellow cards allocated by the referee. Both games were physical with the schools’ amorous rivalry on full display. The expectation before their Sunday matchup was that it would be no different.
“The roughness is something the ref has to deal with,” coach Perri said before the game. “You’ve got two teams with animosity between them that are going to battle hard. It’s all going to depend on how the ref officiates and what he lets go.”
McMaster won an OUA silver medal last season and qualified for a spot in the Canadian Interuniversity Sport tournament where they won bronze. This year the team saw much less success with an early elimination. Those on the team were left unsatisfied.
“Overall the season wasn’t great,” coach Perri said. “We didn’t meet our expectations. I expected a lot more from the group of guys that we had. We ran into injury problems early in the year which set us back and I think we never recovered.”
Looking to next season, Mac will be losing key members of their team, and will be attempting to build from ground up.
“We have a few players leaving. Marco Gennaccaro, Kody Kazda, Kyle Kazda, and Karl Bicamumpaka are all leaving. We will be losing some important players to graduation next season.”
Despite not meeting expectations, the Marauder men should be proud of the way the bounced back from injuries and a tough early schedule to put themselves in a position to make some noise in the playoffs. For those coming back next season, they should hold their heads up high and work hard to improve their standing for next year.
After back-to-back deep runs in the Canadian Interuniversity Sport national tournament, the latest McMaster men’s soccer campaign has been met with adversity.
After winning their first two games, the squad has stumbled over their last few games. This included a 4-2 loss to the defending CIS champions York Lions, who scored three goals in a span of four minutes to open the second half.
Five games into the season, Mac sits in sixth place in the OUA West Division, with seven total points and a 2-2-1 record.
Mac head coach Dino Perri points to key injuries - including wing players Marco Gennaccaro and Sasha Ricciuti – as their main obstacle so far into the season.
“Our biggest problem is having so many key players out injured, forcing us to rotate our starting lineups,” Perri said after the team’s practice on Monday night. “We don’t have a consistent starting lineup every game. You’re trying to teach new players of the system and team to step in and fill their spot. They’re put in a tough situation.”
“We have to take a few steps back and simplify our strategy. This is the most difficult part of our schedule right now, playing top CIS teams back to back.”
While injuries are unfortunate, they also provide opportunities for other players to step up and expand their role. One player who has impressed so far is first year striker Dusan Kovacevic, who has been a bright spot early in the season.
“Our one rookie starter [Kovacevic] has scored some quality goals for us and has definitely stepped up his play,” Perri said.
Other players have stepped up their game. Third-year midfielder Yunus Mollayev has scored three goals on eight shots this season, while fourth-year goalkeeper Kieran Doyle-Davis has already registered three shutouts.
McMaster has only faced teams that are currently in front of them in the OUA West division. Still, Coach Perri – who has been the head coach of the men’s soccer team since 2008 – holds a high standard befitting to previous years, no matter whom Mac is facing.
“The standard is the standard, regardless of who’s on the field,” Perri said. “I’d like to see us at the top of the table, realistic or not. We want to be in a situation where we are one of the top two teams heading into the playoffs.”
McMaster plays each team within the OUA West division twice during the regular season, so there will be opportunities for the team to exact revenge for their previous losses, and improve in the standings.
Their next game takes place at home, in a rematch against third-place Guelph. The last time the two teams faced each other ended in a scrappy 0-0 draw, with the two teams combining for 11 yellow cards.
“It was a chippy game last time against Guelph,” Perri said. “We’ll need to maintain our patience, and make sure the officials take care of the scrappy tactics.”
With players returning from injury soon and an experienced coach at the helm, there is still reason for optimism for the men’s soccer team for the rest of the season.
By: Tom Lewis
McMaster men’s soccer ended their season on a high, taking silver at the CIS National Championships in Charlottetown, P.E.I.
The York Lions underlined their status as Canada’s strongest university side with a 1-0 win in the tournament’s last game, but the Marauders gave a good account of themselves in the first all OUA final since 2002. York completed the rare treble, winning the league table, league championship and national championship.
The Marauders did things the hard way in the quarter and semi-finals, dispatching both the University of New Brunswick Varsity Reds and the Université du Québec à Montréal Citadins on penalties to advance to their fourth meeting with York this season.
Goalkeeper Angelo Cavalluzzo was the hero against UNB, saving three penalties to help his side through to an encounter against the Citadins, in which the Marauders had to come back from two goals down to overcome the Quebec side on penalties.
In Sunday’s final, McMaster matched York for much of the opening half, with Paterson Farrell crafting several chances, the best of which was a cross that just eluded Gersi Xhuti at the left hand post.
York began to ease into their pressing game and high defensive line as the half wore on, and forced McMaster into hurried build up from the back.
York’s pressure was rewarded inside 32 minutes, as a Joey Cicchillo strike found the back of Angelo Cavalluzzo’s net.
Marauders’ coach Dino Perri threw on Sasha Riccuiti, Karl Bicamumpaka and Kyle Kazda in an attempt to break down an obstinate Lions’ defence in the second half, but Mac faced the same problems that have now condemned them to three straight defeats against York, struggling to hold the ball up in the final third under pressure from midfielders Jonathan Lao and Mark Stinson.
Defensive midfielder Ryan Garnett continued to mop up well at the back, launching searching passes into the York half, while Sasha Riccuiti showed excellent skill to beat two men deep into the second half, but his ball across the York box failed to connect with any of the on-rushing McMaster attackers.
The Marauders were given a lifeline after York’s Jonathan Lao sent a late penalty wide of Angelo Cavelluzzo’s right hand post, but centre back Nicholas Vecchi picked up his second yellow card, reducing Mac to ten men, and a flurry of late corners failed to pick the lock on York’s sturdy defensive display.
Despite missing out on gold, the Marauders can be proud of an excellent CIS campaign, which saw them equal McMaster’s best-ever performance at the national tournament, having last won silver in 1991 and 1992.
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Sarah O'Connor
Staff Reporter
After an amazing winning-streak and defeating the top ranked York Lions numerous times this season, the Marauders were defeated in overtime over the weekend by the Windsor Lancers. The loss on Oct. 26 puts an end to the team’s hope of clinching a third straight OUA title.
Both the McMaster keeper Angelo Cavalluzzo and Windsor keeper Dejo Olagbegi made fantastic saves during the first-half. In the 60th minute, the Lancers that took the lead from a free kick 25 yards in front of the Marauder net scored by Lancer player Chris Mayorga.
Trying their hardest, it wasn't until 75 minutes in that Marauder David Serafini tied the game at 1-1 with a penalty kick. Serafini took a dangerous run at Olagbegi resulting in the keeper taking Serafini down a bit too hard in the box.
After 90 minutes and still tied, the game went into overtime and both keepers continued to put on a show viagra express delivery between the posts. Seven minutes before penalty kick time, Windsor's Michael Pio sped past the McMaster defense and scored the winning goal. The Marauders tried to even up the score but were time was not on Mac’s side.
McMaster keeper Angelo Cavalluzzo was disappointed with the loss but knows that the Marauders can expect great things to come in the future.
"The loss was definitely disappointing but the team played really well today,” said Cavalluzzo.
“A lot of our team, including myself, haven't experienced losing this early in the season but I believe this will be a good learning experience going forward into next season and give us a real drive next to do well. I'm really proud of the effort the whole team put in today, and I'm already looking forward to the great things we'll do next year."
With the men’s soccer season now over, the Marauders can use the loss as a stepping- stone for their improvement for future seasons to come.
The Windsor Lancers will now be playing in the OUA East in next week's final-four match-up.
William Lou
The Silhouette
The generica viagra McMaster Men’s Soccer Team qualified for the OUA playoffs after securing the second seed in the OUA West division with a win and a draw over the Brock Badgers and the Laurier Golden Hawks.
The Marauders took on the Badgers last Saturday under rather miserable weather conditions. In addition to light rain and gusting winds, temperatures dipped below 10 degrees, resulting in rather sloppy play at times. The Badgers, having already been eliminated from the playoffs, looked to retain a modicum of dignity against the vastly favored Marauders who looked to clinch the second seed with a win.
However it was simply not to be for the Brock Badgers. In an effort to secure the win, coach Dino Perri trotted out his best starting eleven, and his team dominated both the possession and the score. Co-Captain Paterson Farrell opened the scoring in the 11th minute and Gersi Xhuti scored his team-leading 7th goal of the season in the 37th minute.
The Marauders got off to a tumultuous start in the second half. McMaster went down to 10 men, thus conceding some possession to Brock, but the Badgers failed to capitalize. McMaster tacked on two more goals on a corner kick by Ryan Garnett and a great run by Nate Morris in the 65th and 87th minute. The match ended 4-0 in favor of the Marauders. The win clinched the second seed for McMaster and earned them a bye in the first round of the playoffs.
However, the match did come with a cost. Xhuti received a straight red card at the start of the second half for kicking Brock’s Erik Van Wissen. As Xhuti went to retrieve a ball that had gone out of bounds, Van Wissen slid in for a late challenge and struck Xhuti in the leg. Xhuti took exception to the challenged and retaliated with a swift kick in the calf, which earned him a straight red card and a one-game suspension.
After the game, coach Dino Perri commented on Xhuti’s reaction, saying that “[Gersi] was probably a little frustrated that he got kicked and he reacted incorrectly” and that the two would “have a chat” about the incident.
Perri also said that he’s “happy with the way that they played and with the way they handled themselves after going down to 10 men for the half.”
He also spoke about securing the second seed.
“First place is nice, but first or second is the same thing because you’re playing at home unless there’s a team that is vastly better on one side, which I don’t think there is.”
The following day, the Marauders traveled to Waterloo to take on the Laurier Golden Hawks. Having secured the second seed, and with no prospect of improving their conditions, coach Perri decided to rest his starting lineup and give his substitutes some run. The Golden Hawks were desperate to earn the win to secure home field advantage for the first game of the playoffs but despite issuing nine shots on goal to McMaster’s three, the match ended 0-0.
The Marauders ended the regular season with three straight shutouts en route to an overall record of 11 wins, two losses and three draws, finishing second in the OUA West and third overall in the OUA conference to Ryerson and York. They will have a first-round bye and they will host an OUA division semifinal match on Sunday, Oct. 27, at Ron Joyce Stadium. That opponent is to be determined after the quarterfinals.
William Lou
The Silhouette
The McMaster men’s soccer team kept the ball rolling last week with a pair of 2-0 victories against the Western Mustangs and the UOIT Ridgebacks.
Defender Kody Kazda opened the scoring in the 32nd minute against the Mustangs with his first goal of the season. The defensive line was solid for the Marauders, as they held Western’s offense to only three shots on target. Midfielder Nate Morris chipped in with an insurance goal in the 83rd minute to secure the win for the Maroon and Grey. Goalkeeper Angelo Cavalluzzo kept the Mustangs off the score sheet for the 2-0 shutout.
The Marauders then travelled to Oshawa, Ont. for a rematch with the UOIT Ridgebacks. Similar to their last meeting, Mac went on to capture a relatively easy-going 2-0 victory. McMaster dominated the play in the first half, generating 9 shots on goal. Defenseman Aleksandar Vincic opened the scoring in the 33rd minute with his first goal of the season. Striker Gersi Xhuti followed it up with another goal in the 45th minute, giving him the team lead in goals scored with 6 for the season. Cavalluzzo earned his third shutout in four games, saving all four shots on target en route to the victory.
The pair of victories last week puts the Marauders atop the heavily contested OUA West. McMaster’s 32 points in 14 games gives them the slight edge over the York Lions, who have earned 31 points in 13 games. Mac’s 32 points puts them only 2 points back of OUA leading Ryerson Rams.
However, despite their record, the Marauders are more focused on making the playoffs than anything else. Co-captain Paterson Farrell spoke of the possibility of leading the OUA, “coming first in the league would definitely be an accomplishment, because we've never done that before, but it's not a huge deal if we don't as long as we're playing our best by playoffs that's all that matters.”
He also praised goalkeeper Cavalluzzo and his defensive line, citing that “Angelo is a great goalie and I am never nervous when I see him back there. Along with the four defenders, they make our defense one of the best in the OUA…I can't wait to see them shut down CIS teams.” McMaster has allowed the fewest goals against per game, limiting their opponents to a mere 8 goals in 14 matches.
Farrell was also quick to dole out praise to his fellow strikers and midfielders. In particular, he complimented Xhuti and Morris, who have scored 6 and 5 goals respectively. “Gersi and Nate have definitely stepped up for us this year. Both of them work extremely hard and have an ability to find back of the net. When we need a clutch goal, those are two that we look to,” Farrell said.
With only two games remaining in the regular season, Farrell says that the goal is to “finish strong, hopefully with two wins.” Should they win their final two games of the season, the Marauders have an excellent shot at finishing atop the OUA.
The men’s soccer team will play their final regular season match at home on Oct. 19, when they take on the Brock Badgers at 3:15 p.m.
