The story of the Marauders’ success thus far has not just been about great coaching, solid goal keeping, and the ability to put the ball in the back of the net. Although all of that is true, their prosperity digs much further than that. The story is exceptional defence, which stunned the No. 1 CIS ranked team at Ron Joyce Stadium.
The York Lions squad entered the contest undefeated, winning previous games with scores of 8-0, and 5-1 against the Brock Badgers and Western Mustangs respectively. The high-scoring team had a lot of confidence, but the Marauders were prepared for that.
“They’re a special team … they’re one of the best teams in Canada, their record shows it,” said head coach Dino Perri.
“I think the coaches knew that we’re also one of the best teams in Canada. It was just a matter of proving it to the players, and I think they proved that.”
In the first half, the Marauders and the Lions both had their fair share of opportunities to score, but they could not get past the keepers, who both made some outstanding saves to keep their respective teams in the game early on.
After a scoreless first half, Perri knew that his team was on the track to victory.
“I told them that [York] was a good team and they’re going to get their opportunities and we’re a good team as well and we’re going to get our opportunities, just stay on course and we’ll prove to do well in the second half,” said Perri.
It was as if Perri foreshadowed his team’s fate for the remainder of the game, as the Marauders continued to play incredibly well in the second frame, with Paterson Farrell putting his foot on a rebound from the York keeper, which put the Maroon and grey up 1-0.
After the home team opened up the scoring, the Marauders switched to a more defensive game, as desperation began to set in for York.
“I think they started pushing more which sort of dictated us, and made us play a little more defensively,” said Perri on the Marauders lead.
Although the York team moved a little quicker and pushed a little harder, their effort was not enough, as Mac kept the lead and won 1-0.
Perri credited his defenders for the win, as they kept the powerhouse team off of the score sheet, and on their toes for the entire game.
“We did a really, really, good job defending, especially in our own end…and that’s a huge, huge, huge accomplishment and at the same time, we still created chances for ourselves,” added Perri.
The 1-0 game proved to be a major confidence booster for the Maroon and Grey, as taking down the number one team in Canada is never an easy task.
“With a lot of new players in the line-up this year, we’re trying to find our identity and I think this game went a long way to get us to building our confidence and knowing what we’re capable of doing,” said Perri.
The Marauders’ confidence from the win on Friday was carried over to their game on Sunday, where they beat the Windsor Lancers with a score of 3-1.
Farrell, Nate Morris, and rookie Sascha Ricciuti were the goal-scorers for the Maroon and Grey.
After an outstanding weekend of soccer, McMaster will get a chance to bask in their success before they take on the Western Mustangs on Sunday afternoon.
Although winning big this early in the season brings a good feeling, Coach Perri wants to make sure that they do not get over-confident for the games ahead.
“We have a lot of guys that can step up and fill in the void and I think with the added confidence… hopefully it’s going to be a good thing for us as opposed to the opposite… which could happen.”
The Marauders soccer squad will continue to monitor their added confidence, and hope to keep the winning streak alive, as they set their sights on a third consecutive OUA Championship.
Name: Paterson Farrell
Sport: Men’s Soccer
Program: Commerce
Year: Four
Q: When did you start playing your sport?
A: Well I first started playing soccer from when I was around four or five. To be honest I didn’t really choose to play soccer; it was my parents at first that kind of forced me into it, but I definitely don’t regret their decision. I also found it a great way to stay in shape for when I played hockey in the winter.
Q: What makes your sport different than all other sports?
A: In my opinion, because you don’t really need a lot of money or equipment to play, I find it to be the most universal sport.
Q: What do you love most about being on the soccer team?
A: It goes without saying, but what I love most about being on the soccer team is my teammates; I’m definitely fortunate to play and practice along side some real beauties.
After a successful season last year, winning the OUA Championships, the Marauders men’s soccer team is back and hungry for another victorious season.
But the team does not just have its sights on victory within the OUA. They are striving to win a medal at CIS Championships this year, especially after facing some bad luck in the opening round of the national championships last season.
“I think we were a bit unlucky with our draw last year having to meet up with Laval for the opening game on their home field” said head coach, Dino Perri.
The Marauders team fought hard in the second half against the Laval Rouge et Or, but the last stint of effort was too little, too late.
“It took us a while to get going in that game and after going down 1-0 in the first half, we could not find the equalizer in the second half, despite out playing Laval,” said Perri.
Now, the team finds itself in a position where they are missing four of their strongest players from last season. Mark Reilly, Garrett McConville, Andrew Pastoric and Rob Schlosser have all graduated, which means that the team will have big shoes to fill for this year.
“Although we have the talent to fill in the gaps left behind, their leadership and experience will be sorely missed. Time will tell if it will be replaced,” said Perri.
The secondary talent last season had a chance to prove themselves this past weekend in Waterloo and St. Catharines, where they rose to the occasion against the Waterloo Warriors and Brock Badgers.
In Waterloo, the Marauders could not find an opportunity to get the ball at the back of the net in the first half, which ended in a 0-0 draw.
In the second half, midfielder Christian Truyen finally got a breakaway and scored twice in a row to put the Marauders up 2-0.
In the 70th minute of the game, Gersi Xhuti extended the lead to 3-0 over the Warriors from the penalty spot.
The Marauders held on for the 3-1 victory in the match.
In the game against the Brock Badgers, the Marauders grabbed the lead in the second minute of play, with Gersi Xhuti scoring his second goal of the season.
The Badgers looked to make a comeback shortly after, as Van Wissen added a scoring touch to make the game a 1-1 tie.
In the second half, time was on the Marauders side. Midfielder Nick Morris scored two goals, in the span of two minutes, 10 minutes into the half.
The two wins over the weekend have solidified the Marauders into the upper tier of OUA West.
After two great victories, it’s safe to say that the gaps of last years experienced veterans will not take long to be filled.
Next up, the Marauders will be hosting the York University Lions at the Ron Joyce Stadium on Friday, Sept. 13. Kick-off will be at 7:15 p.m.
Photo C/O Fraser Caldwell.
When heading into a tournament as a high seed, there’s immense pressure to succeed. You’re told you’re better and that you’re expected to win.
What happens if you lose? How do you respond? You can give up because of a missed opportunity, or you can do what the McMaster Marauders men’s soccer team did at the CIS championship this week: after losing in the opening game to the host, Laval Rouge et Or, McMaster was stuck in the consolation round. A team with national championship aspirations had their dreams dashed after a hard fought game that ended in a 1-0 defeat.
The team looked to medal at the tournament after winning their second straight OUA title, but the CIS Player of the Year, Samuel Georget found a teammate for a header in the box for the game-winning score.
Despite dominating Laval in the second half, the 1-0 lead would stand and instead of playing for a medal, McMaster was now fighting for a fifth-place finish.
Mac responded well to the loss, coming out to stun the University of New Brunswick Varsity Reds in the last 15 minutes of the game. Down one goal and tournament hopes fading, the Marauders rallied to tie the game at the 75th minute. Eleven minutes later, the Maroon and Grey would find twine again and the goal was enough to secure a victory.
With a win over the Varsity Reds, McMaster found themselves fighting an old foe: the Carleton Ravens. Mac ousted the Ravens in the OUA Championship match with an embarrassing rout, 5-0.
Carleton came out with physicality, looking for revenge. Their play earned them three yellow cards. But McMaster responded with toughness as well, fighting for the ball in the middle of the field and earning the only shot of the half.
Mac would score the lone goal of the match in the 57th minute of the game. With the end of Carleton’s season only minutes away, their intensity hit another level as they tried to comeback. Their efforts would not be rewarded as the Marauder defense stood tall, just as they had all season.
With the 1-0 victory, McMaster ended their season on a positive note. Tournament wins and experience is invaluable with the roster Coach Dino Perri is fielding. With Garret McConville the lone fifth-year player on the team, the Marauders have a shot at CIS Championship glory in the coming season.
Mark Reilly and Paterson Farrell were integral to McMaster’s success and will be back next year to lead the team. Reilly led the team in scoring and Farrell was recognized as a second-team All-Canadian CIS player.
The men’s squad will look forward to next season as they set their eyes on their third straight OUA title and a medal at the CIS Championship tournament.
They’ve done it again: for the second straight year, the McMaster Marauders have been crowned OUA men’s soccer champions.
After an incredible regular season during which the team lost only game, the Marauders looked as good as ever this past weekend at McNaughton Park in Vaughan. They defeated the Queen’s Gaels 5-2 on Saturday to advance to the OUA finals against the Carleton Ravens, whom they swiftly crushed 5-0 to win gold.
The wins give the Marauders a ticket to the CIS national championship in Quebec City, taking place Nov. 8–11 at Laval University. The team hopes to use their sixth-place CIS finish last season as motivation to propel them even further at this year’s competition, which features the top talent in Canadian varsity soccer.
The route to the OUA championship didn’t come without its struggles. The semi-final game against Queen’s was a hotly contested battle that required extra time for either team to pull ahead.
The Gaels struck first at the 20th minute, with midfielder Nathan Klemencic scoring with a long ball that sailed just over McMaster goalie Angelo Cavalluzzo. The Marauders responded before the halftime buzzer sounded, with midfielder Paterson Farrell capitalizing at the 42nd minute. His goal came after the Guelph goalie stopped a shot by Marauder Ryan Garnett, leaving a huge rebound that Farrell fired right to the back of the net.
The second half opened much like the first, with Guelph taking a lead in the 67th minute off a penalty kick by Joe Zuppo. Fighting from behind for the second time in the game, the Marauders soon delivered when 2011 OUA West Rookie Gersi Xhuti netted the tying goal in the 78th minute. Xhuti celebrated his clutch goal with an impressive front flip that energized the entire team.
The back-and-forth affair was tied up 2-2 at the end of regular time, so extra time would be required to see who would advance to play in the OUA finals.
Overtime is when the Maroon and Grey truly shined. They came out ready to fight, and quickly took advantage of the shaky Queen’s defence in the 95th minute with a goal by Daniel Niksic. But it didn’t stop there: Muntazir Fadhel connected in the 110th minute for Mac’s insurance goal and McMaster leader scorer Mark Reilly scored his 12th goal of the season three minutes later to seal the deal for the Marauders.
The following day, McMaster really came out to play, and completely dominated the Carleton Ravens from start to finish. Their first goal came in the 10th minute and their last goal in the 89th, with the Marauders putting on an offensive clinic for the hapless Ravens the entire game.
Like in the game against Queen’s, Paterson Farrell scored first for Mac, in what would end up being the game-winning goal. It came off a perfectly placed cross that Farrell was able to easily one-time into a wide open net
Ten minutes later, Marauders Athlete of the Week Mark Reilly scored on a beautiful shot that came off a headed pass from midfielder David Serafini to put the Marauder up 2-0.
The Ravens began to put serious pressure on Mac toward the end of the first half, but Marauders goalie Angelo Cavalluzzo made some acrobatic saves to maintain the shutout.
The championship banner might as well have been awarded before the second half, because there was no doubt that the Maroon and Grey would be coming out on top. Goals by Muntazir Fadhel and Karl Bicamumpaka in the 58th and 61st minute, respectively, set the stage for the rest of the game, which saw Mac retaining almost constant possession.
In the final minute of the game, David Serafini scored on a breakaway, beating Carleton goalie Mark Krocko and bringing the score to a whopping 5-0.
The Ravens will be joining the Marauders in Quebec City this weekend, having earned a spot in the CIS championship by upsetting the previously undefended York Lions in their semi-final matchup.
The Marauders play their first game Thursday Nov. 8 against host team Laval at 6:30 p.m. The games can be viewed live at CIS-SIC.tv.
One more win, and one step closer to the OUA championship. With the defeat of the Guelph Gryphons, the McMaster Marauders men’s soccer team moved into the OUA Final Four. The match at Ron Joyce Stadium was a cold and wet affair, but the weather could not keep Mac down as they finished the day with a dominating performance, winning 2-0.
This game was the third match-up of 2012 between the two teams, with McMaster winning both of the previous tilts. Sunday would be no different and that was clear from the beginning. In the 7th minute, Ryan Garnett looked to put his team in front with a shot just wide of the goalmouth. Mac would keep their foot on the gas pedal, mounting an offensive onslaught for the next fifteen minutes of play. The tie would be broken when the Gryphon defender committed a handball in the box to give the Maroon and Grey an opportunity to take lead with a penalty kick.
Midfielder David Serafini would step up to take the kick and leave no doubt, placing the ball well past the Guelph goalkeeper’s reach to give the Marauders a 1-0 lead. Seeing the ball hit the mesh gave Mac confidence, as they would have another opportunity a minute later. McMaster’s leading regular season goal scorer Mark Reilly had a chance to increase the separation but his shot would also roll narrowly past the goal post.
Taking a 1-0 lead into the half, momentum seemed to be in favour of the home team. But second half play would get rough with aggression from both sides and a Gryphon goal felt possible given their inspired play. The Maroon and Grey stood tall and scored another goal to ensure the Guelph Gryphons would come to an end on Mac’s campus. Gersi Xhuti found himself alone on the right side of the pitch and made no mistake with the opportunity, using a left-footed boot to beat the Gryphon keeper in the 66th minute.
Despite their season on the line, the Gryphons were unable to muster up any real offense pressure. McMaster was able to control the pace for the rest of the match with passing and communication from every third of the pitch. Goalkeeper Angelo Cavalluzzo would not be beat on Guelph’s best opportunity off of a corner kick and preserved a clean sheet victory.
Defeating Guelph puts McMaster in an OUA Final Four spot, where they will face off against the Queen’s Gaels. The Gaels play in the OUA East conference and finished with an 11-1-2 record. McMaster will face one of their toughest challenges of the season in Queen’s, who allowed a league-best eight goals this season.
The Final Four tournament will be hosted by York University over the upcoming weekend and the Marauders enter the competition as the reigning champions. The road to back-to-back OUA titles will not be an easy one as all four teams remaining are ranked in top ten of CIS men’s soccer.
The McMaster Marauders finished their 2012 OUA season over the past week, playing the York Lions, Windsor Lancers, and Western Mustangs.
The first match against the Lions saw the top two teams in the OUA West conference square off. The Oct. 17 game was a rematch of an intense bout hosted by McMaster, which saw plenty of cards, aggressive play, and offensive attack. The Marauders dropped the match on a 3-1 score and York moved to being ranked No.1 in the country after their defeat of Mac.
Surely the Maroon and Grey were looking for revenge against the Lions, while York looked to prove still worthy of the No.1 CIS ranking. But both teams would walk away with unfinished business, with the match ending in a 1-1 draw.
Despite the low score, the game was full of fireworks. Scoring opportunities were abound for both squads in the first half but the Lions would draw first blood in the 38th minute. OUA-leader in goals, Adrian Pena, finished off a York attack by heading a cross past McMaster goalkeeper Angelo Cavalluzzo.
McMaster would put together a strong second-half, putting nine shots on goal to pressure the Lions’ defense. Their offensive efforts would be rewarded in the 85th minute after a free kick from Ryan Garnett beat York’s wall and found the back of the net.
Momentum was with the Marauders after the goal and the Mac offense was clicking on all cylinders. In the waning minutes of the game, Dan Niksic forced York’s keeper to make incredible saves to preserve the tie.
On Saturday, the Marauders would travel to Windsor, Ont. to take on a Lancer team who finished 4th in the OUA West. After a disappointing result in their previous match, McMaster responded well against a formidable opponent. Mac controlled most of the match, with majority of possession taking place in the offensive third of the pitch. The Marauders would break the seal on the Lancer goal in the first half from Niksic’s second goal of his career. The second-year player’s tally would be the eventual game winner, as McMaster would maintain the lead for the rest of the game.
In the final regular season match, the Marauders headed to London to take on everyone’s least favourite university: the Western Mustangs. The Sunday afternoon showdown was expected to be a tough match-up after Western lost the first game to the Marauders earlier in the season and trailed McMaster in the OUA West standings.
The Mustangs were on the scoreboard first, with a strike in the 19th minute that beat the Mac defense. The Marauders would respond with a goal in the 36th minute off a penalty kick and the 1-1 tie would stand for the duration of the game.
The Marauders finished the 2012 season with a 12-1-3 record, good for 2nd place in the OUA West conference. Their position earned them a bye to the OUA quarterfinals, which will be held on Oct. 28.
Thanksgiving weekend was an important weekend in the McMaster Marauders men’s soccer schedule. Mac sits only three points behind the OUA West leaders, the York Lions and could have narrowed the gap with two wins over the weekend.
Instead, the Marauders walked away from the weekend unsatisfied. Although they are still holding an undefeated streak of seven games, Mac left valuable points on the table in their game against the Laurier Golden Hawks.
McMaster had an opportunity to increase the gap between the third-place Golden Hawks and themselves on Saturday, as McMaster hosted Laurier at Ron Joyce Stadium.
The Marauders controlled much of the game against the Golden Hawks but could not break the Laurier defense and the game would end with a disappointing 0-0 result. Despite the tie, the Marauders clearly dominated their opponent throughout the entire game.
Mac came close to scoring in the second half after Andrew Pastoric would strike the ball past the Laurier goalkeeper on a play started with a McMaster corner kick. But the goal would not stand as the assistant referee had signalled for an offside on Pastoric, keeping the score level.
The Marauders would have another great opportunity to break the tie, with a two-on-one opportunity between two of Mac’s most lethal weapons, Gersi Xhuti and Mark Reilly. But the Laurier keeper would not be beat and made an incredible save on a Xhuti strike to prevent McMaster from scoring their first goal of the game.
The boys in Maroon would continue to play with intensity but the scoreless draw would stand. The Marauders earned their first tie of the season and maintained a large lead over the Golden Hawks in the OUA West table.
It would not take long for Mac to return to its winning ways however, as the Waterloo Warriors would visit Ron Joyce Stadium to begin their climb from the OUA West basement. The Warriors sit in second-last place, with only one win to their name and an appalling 8-20 goals for to goals against ratio before the start of the match against Mac.
That statistic would only get worse after taking on McMaster, who would wallop the Warriors to the score of 6-0, the highest scoring game of Mac’s 2012 season.
Reilly, who scored a hat trick to lead Mac to victory over a struggling Waterloo squad, led the Maroon and Grey effort. The scoring frenzy began in the 11th minute, with the man of the match - Reilly - finishing off a beautiful Marauder attack. Paterson Farrell would pick up the assist, perfectly guiding the ball to Mac’s leading scorer.
The Marauder offense would break the Waterloo defense again in the 35th, with Reilly striking one past the Waterloo keeper for his second of the game. Five minutes later, Reilly would complete the hat trick by finishing off a great pass to make the score 3-0 before the half.
In the second half, Farrell would get in on the scoring action, blasting home his eighth of the 2012 campaign. Goals late in the game would come from Muntazir Fadhel and Nathaniel Morris as the game would finish with a large scoring margin in favour of the men’s squad.
The chase of the York Lions continues this weekend, starting on Saturday, as the men’s squad travels to the University of Guelph to take on the Gryphons. The Marauders will also face-off against the University of Ontario Institute of Technology Ridgebacks at Ron Joyce Stadium. Both teams were defeated by the Marauders earlier in the season and McMaster fans should expect similar results from their boys in Maroon.
Fraser Caldwell
Sports Editor
For 119 minutes, the Marauders had held off the lauded attack of the Cape Breton Capers and kept their hopes of national hardware alive. In one cruel, final twist of fate those aspirations came crashing to a halt.
With only seconds remaining before the two teams moved on to penalty kicks to settle the result of their CIS quarterfinal on Nov. 10, the Capers found the back of the Marauder net with a driven effort from the edge of the 18-yard box.
The goal provoked polar scenes of jubilation and dejection for the two teams, making a last-ditch comeback for the Maroon and Grey nearly impossible. When the final whistle blew seconds later, the Marauders knew that a golden opportunity to move forward had been missed.
McMaster’s veteran goalkeeper Matt Grant – who himself enjoyed a standout performance in the loss – spoke to the frustration his squad experienced after conceding in the dying moments.
“The reaction on the field showed exactly how we felt,” said Grant. “It was kind of shocking for me because I thought we could have won the game. We were just trying to hold on and get to the penalty shootout, and we’d weathered the pressure for most of the game.
“It’s especially frustrating knowing that it was our last real, competitive match of the season.”
Despite the heartbreaking nature of the Nov. 10 result, Grant believes that his squad gave a good account of itself against one of the premier outfits in the country.
“We played extremely hard,” said the goalkeeper. “There were times in the game where we were trying to find our feet, because it’s a completely different level at the CIS tournament and Cape Breton are a very good team.
“They played very quickly so we had to adapt a lot, but we played them well.”
While the quarterfinal loss ended McMaster’s dreams of medaling at the national level, Grant indicates that the team remained focused on success in the consolation rounds.
There, the Marauders won a Nov. 11 contest against the Montreal Carabins before dropping the fifth-place match against McGill the next day to finish sixth in the field of eight squads.
Grant argues that the Marauders lost none of their edge after being eliminated from medal contention, and aimed to compete to the best of their ability regardless of the nature of the contest.
“A lot of the older guys, myself included, wanted to compete in those [consolation] games because they could be our last match for the team,” said the fourth-year keeper. “We didn’t want to end our careers on a losing note.
“We didn’t want to go out to Victoria just for the vacation. If you’re going out there, you have to go out to win every game.”
While the Marauders remain disappointed with their inability to medal at the event, they can take solace in the knowledge that they will return the vast majority of this season’s successful squad next year.
Only two members of McMaster’s current starting 11 are guaranteed to graduate, as All-Canadian defender Anthony Costa and midfielder Daniel Niksic have exhausted their five years of eligibility.
Two others, defender Garrett McConville and Grant have the option of returning for a fifth season, and have yet to make that decision.
For his part, the veteran keeper indicates that the large core of returning players makes McMaster’s future on the pitch a bright one.
“I think it’s very promising looking forward to next season,” said Grant. “We had five rookies starting already this year and a lot of young players seeing playing time. We’ve got a very young core, and it looks promising because Coach [Dino] Perri has done a great job of recruiting.
“So I feel that we can compete just as well if not better next season.”
In the meantime, Grant and his teammates look forward to the relative relaxation of the offseason, where they will work to improve their individual play and tighten the ties that bind together their sporting family.
Fraser Caldwell
Sports Editor
It didn’t come by way of penalties, but the Marauders’ most recent OUA Championship lost none of its luster by wrapping up in 90 minutes.
Playing against the same Varsity Blues squad that they defeated from the penalty spot two seasons ago to claim the provincial title, McMaster notched their second OUA crown in three years with a 3-1 victory in the Nov. 6 final.
The Sunday triumph came in a radically different fashion from that of 2009, as the Marauders convincingly played their way to the top of the provincial field. Unlike their Cinderella run of two years ago, the Maroon and Grey entered play at this season’s Final Four in Ottawa as a known quantity.
McMaster had comfortably beaten the upstart Guelph Gryphons in their quarterfinal contest a week before, and continued their strong play into the provincial championship tournament.
After a hard fought semifinal encounter with the Carleton Ravens saw the team pull through from the penalty spot, the Marauders came up against familiar opposition on the OUA’s highest stage.
Thanks to a pair of goals from sophomore striker Paterson Farrell and a solo effort from rookie Brandon Gutierrez, McMaster’s latest tilt against the Varsity Blues would be much less suspenseful than its last.
For several Marauders, the celebratory scenes on Sunday were reminiscent of those that erupted at the conclusion of the team’s improbable 2009 title run. Team captain Anthony Costa – who was named to the All-Canadian First Team on Nov. 9 – believes that both championships are valuable for their own reasons.
“Our first title was built on the concept of working very hard defensively,” said the fifth-year senior. “Having said that, we had a very strong team spirit as well, and in the first two playoff games we had to come back from behind to win them in shootouts.
“This year, we realized that attack was our best form of defence. I feel that our team perfected the three pillars of football: fluid attacking, solid defending and swift counter-attacking. We made sure that everyone was love and cared about, and the scenes at the final whistle really highlighted that.”
For Costa, the manner of his team’s victory this time around highlights the quality of a squad that has been among the most lethal in the province for the entirety of the 2011 campaign.
“I don’t mind winning games in shootouts, but I was glad that we ended the final this year in regulation,” said the captain. “That should silence the doubters if there were any at this point. We clinched the title in 90 minutes and fully deserved it.
“Our football this weekend was exquisite at times.”
The result of that quality play sees the Marauders jet across the country to Victoria to take part in the CIS Championships beginning on Nov. 10 and ending with the conclusion of the final rounds on Nov. 13.
The Maroon and Grey will take added confidence into their westward journey this weekend as the squad boasts seven players with experience of the team’s 2009 appearance at the national level.
Costa believes that the value of that experience lies in knowing the level of focus and determination needed to compete with the best teams in the country.
“Previous experience in the CIS championships will only emphasize how difficult the tournament will be and that concentration will be needed as soon as the flight lands,” said McMaster’s stalwart defender. “These are the eight best teams in Canada and everyone has an equal shot at the title. We know what needs to be done, and having beaten York and Toronto this season, we feel our chances are good.”
The Marauders’ first opponents will hail from the east coast, coming in the form of the Cape Breton Capers.
The Nova Scotian squad finished their conference season with only a single loss to their name, and was ranked second in the final CIS top-ten of the campaign.
The two teams also have a measure of history, as the Capers dealt McMaster a defeat in the consolation round of the 2009 tournament. Despite the stiff challenge ahead, the Marauder captain argues that opposition counts for little at an event as prestigious as the national tournament.
“To be the best you have to beat the best,” said Costa. “CBU are a very talented team. We lost to them in the consolation round two years ago and they still have a handful of players from that team, including one from an English academy and a couple members of the Bermudan national team.”
“But our style has brought us here as OUA champions, so we need to execute those three pillars of football to the best of our ability. If that happens, I don’t see why we can’t return as national champions.”
Costa and his teammates will be hoping that such execution will be good enough to propel them past the best in the country this weekend. They begin their bid for the national title on Nov. 10 against the Capers.
Game time is 7:30 p.m. EST and the contest can be seen online at SSN Canada.
