Marauders' soccer team losses OUA semifinals to Ontario Tech Ridgebacks in a penalty shootout
The Marauders' men's soccer team faced the Ontario Tech University Ridgeback's at the OUA semifinals on Oct. 26. The Marauders had many opportunities to score against the Ridgebacks team that finished in the top five in their division. Despite having several opportunities to score, the Marauders could not get the job done.
Amir Shirazi, captain of the team, thought they did well against the Ridebacks, despite the missed opporrtunites.
“We did a good job against them [The Ridgebacks] throughout the game, but obviously the disappointing thing was the chances that we missed," said Shirazi
We did a good job against them [The Ridgebacks] throughout the game, but obviously the disappointing thing was the chances that we missed.
Amiri Shirazi, Captain
McMaster Soccer team
Shirazi, a fourth-year commerce student, scored a goal to put them up, but it was later deemed offside by the official.
With both teams scoreless, the game went to a shootout.
“We practiced penalties before, as we do before any playoff game. We knew what to expect going in,” said Shirazi
Both teams exchanged goals throughout the shootout. The Ridgebacks’ four straight goals and the key saves made by their keeper secured the win.
Despite the loss, Shirazi and the rest of the team were proud with the way they played.
“We knew they were a dangerous team, but me, the rest of the team and the coaches are proud of the way that we played. We stuck to our gameplan," said Shirazi.
We knew they were a dangerous team, but me, the rest of the team and the coaches are proud of the way that we played. We stuck to our gameplan.
Amiri Shirazi, captain
McMaster Soccer team
Shirazi finished the season with the most goal and assist contributions in the OUA tournament. He also finished second in goals, scoring 10 through 11 regular season games. As a whole, the Marauders were second in their division.
Shirazi told the Silhouette that the team attained their goal of at least making it to the semifinals.
“I had a great season, so when you look at it that way, there was a lot of individual success for me. But honestly, I don’t measure that the same way as playing in the finals," said Shirazi.
Although the Marauders missed a chance to play in the OUA championship, key players like Shirazi will be returning next season. For him, it will be his fifth and final year.
Having won the tournament in the 2021-2022 season, they are hoping to match this prior success next year
Amir Shirazi named athlete of the week for his outstanding performance against Brock Badgers
The men's soccer forward for McMaster University, Amir Shirazi, was selected athlete of the week following his strong performance on September 1st. Following a difficult 2 to 0 setback to the York Lions on Friday, Shirazi was a major factor in McMaster's 2 to 0 victory against the Brock Badgers on the night of Sunday Sep. 8 at 8:15pm, securing the Marauder's first victory of the season by scoring both of of the two goals.
When asked about the honor, Shirazi replied with humbleness. "It feels good to be recognized, but honestly, it’s all about the team. We knew it would be a tough weekend playing our biggest rivals right away. We’re happy with the win, but we could have done better," said Shirazi
It feels good to be recognized, but honestly, it’s all about the team. We knew it would be a tough weekend playing our biggest rivals right away. We’re happy with the win, but we could have done better.
Amir Shirazi, forward, McMaster men's soccer
Between the two games, Shirazi played for 173 minutes, showing his stamina and determination. It can be exhausting to play back-to-back games, but Shirazi explained how he remains prepared. “Last year, I played a lot of minutes during doubleheaders, so I knew what to expect. It’s about preparing well, resting after the first game, and getting mentally ready for the next one,” said Shirazi.
While describing how he scored the first goal, Shirazi mentioned that it was a tactic he had already practiced with teammate Carlos Spiro. “Carlos cut in and played across. I headed it in after the goalie made a great save. We practiced a similar play in preseason, so I kind of knew what was coming,” said Shirazi.
Carlos cut in and played across. I headed it in after the goalie made a great save. We practiced a similar play in preseason, so I kind of knew what was coming.
Amir Shirazi, forward, McMaster men's soccer
Shirazi received a free kick which led to his second goal. “In the game against York, I had a free kick from the same spot, but it hit the post. So, when I got the same chance against Brock and scored, it felt really good,” said Shirazi.
Although the team was frustrated by the outcome against York prior to facing the Brock Badgers, Shirazi clarified that they saw it as a teaching moment. “We made mistakes in the first half, but we created a lot of chances. We just couldn’t finish them. We took what we learned from that game and brought it into the next one, and we got the win,” said Shirazi.
In addition, Shirazi attributed his success to his colleagues. “The midfield, wingers, and fullbacks are all working hard to get me the ball in good positions. Guys like Mohamed El-Shachman, Carlos Spiro, and Damiano Refosco are the reason I’ve been able to score so many goals. It’s a team effort,” said Shirazi.
The midfield, wingers, and fullbacks are all working hard to get me the ball in good positions. Guys like Mohamed El-Shachman, Carlos Spiro, and Damiano Refosco are the reason I’ve been able to score so many goals. It’s a team effort
Amir Shirazi, forward, McMaster men's soccer
Despite his achievement this past game, Shirazi is more focused on the group's future performance than on individual awards. “Every year, we aim to win the OUAs and qualify for nationals. That’s still my goal. I just want to help the team finish in the top two and do well in the playoffs. My job as a striker is to score goals, and I’ll keep doing that to help the team win,” said Shirazi.
As the Marauder's continue their season, Shirazi will be a key player to watch as the team pushes for a strong finish in the OUA standings.
Photo by Mike Marasco/ Contributor
Both the men’s and women’s soccer teams faced ended their seasons after facing tough opponents at the Ontario University Athletics quarterfinals, losing a chance to move one step closer to the finals.
The men’s team had a tough bout with one of the OUAs top teams, the York University Lions, where they lost 1-4. The women’s team lost to the Western University Mustangs, going scoreless while Western put up only one goal.
Off the field, the marauders had a great weekend, where they upheld their trend of excellence in helping the local community. A standout student-athlete from both the men’s and women’s soccer teams took home the Ontario University Athletics West divisional community service award. The west division makes up half of the conference in women’s and men’s soccer and a total of nine schools. The marauders soccer program has been a consistent recipient of this award.
A standout student-athlete from both the men’s and women’s soccer teams took home the Ontario University Athletics West divisional community service award.
For the women’s team, it was Claudia Continenza who took home the award for her work as a volunteer coach for club as well as high school level soccer teams in Hamilton. For the men’s team, Christian Cossidente was awarded for his efforts in the McMaster athletes care program. Cossidente participated in “Mac think pink”, which raised money for breast cancer research. He also supported the “Bell let’s talk” movement and many more similar initiatives. Cossidente winning the OUA West divisional community service award marks the fifth time in six years that a marauder from the men’s team has taken home the award.
Outside of these community service awards, the teams did well in terms of OUA West all-star placing. The men’s and women’s teams both had one player grace the All-star first-team, the team comprised of the very best players in the OUA West. Midfielder Anand Sergeant and women’s team captain Stephanie Roberts both attained their second appearance on the first team for the second year in a row.
The OUA West second team all-stars is where the performances of more marauders were recognized. Carling Goold and Hannah Chau-Stacey represented the women’s team, while Matthew Monteiro Yordan Stoyanov and Dusan Kovacevic made appearances on the men’s OUA West second team.
This year marks the final year of play for the captains of both the men’s and women’s teams: Stephanie Roberts and Yordan Stoyanov. Roberts was a powerhouse in the OUA West, leading the nation in goals last year. As previously mentioned, she was an OUA West first team all-star both last year and this year. Stoyanov had terrific on-field presence. Both will likely be greatly missed next year.
Even though it was an unfortunate end to the season, the marauders did not let down their community. The individual recognition for the all-star teams are high level achievements. Perhaps, the marauders nominated for all-star teams will jump into a bigger role next year for the maroon and grey.
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.
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.
Over the weekend, the McMaster men’s soccer team hosted the Brock Badgers, a team looking for revenge after suffering a narrow loss at the hands of the Marauders.
But the Badgers would leave the Mac campus unsatisfied as McMaster gained their 8th win of the season with an impressive 4-0 victory.
The goal scoring would begin in the 25th minute after a header would rebound off of the Brock keeper and Paterson Farrell was in the right place to knock home his 6th goal of the season.
Farrell’s goal would not be the only score of the half for the Marauders.
Ryan Garnett would feed a through ball to Elliot Pecora and the second-year player would beat the Brock keeper to extend the lead to two goals. The Badgers would not challenge Mac’s goalkeeper Angelo Cavalluzzo, failing to register a shot in the first half.
The Maroon and Grey would also dominate the second half, with the scoring restarting in the 62nd minute.
Forward Mark Reilly would score his 7th of the season after a shot from Garnett from the top of the box rebounded off the hands of the keeper landed at Reilly’s feet.
Farrell would get his 2nd goal of the day in the 67th minute after a through ball set up the third year student for a one-on-one opportunity.
Farrell would make easy work of the opportunity, placing the ball in the low corner to extend McMaster’s lead to four.
Farrell and Reilly are now tied for 3rd place in the OUA scoring race, with 7 goals each.
With the win over Brock, Mac now has 24 points and sits in second place in the OUA West.
The Marauders have stiff competition ahead of them though, with the York Lions atop the table. The Lions also own the No.1 ranking in the country and remain the only squad to beat McMaster this season.
Over the Thanksgiving weekend, the Marauders have two games at Ron Joyce Stadium. Their first game is on Friday, against the Laurier Golden Hawks, who sit in 3rd place.
McMaster played Laurier a week ago and produced a strong showing, beating the Hawks 3-0. With a win, the Marauders would all but secure at least a second place finish in the OUA West.
On Saturday, McMaster hosts the Waterloo Warriors who’ve only captured one victory through ten games of their 2012 season. The Warriors have struggled to defend this year, giving up 18 goals - 3rd worst in the OUA. The Mac offense should look to attack early and often to guarantee the result the Marauders need to try to catch the York Lions.
Both games kick-off at 3:15 p.m. at Ron Joyce Stadium.
