October 31, 2013
Ryerson, Carleton, Windsor and York fight for OUA men's soccer supremacy at Birchmount
A new men’s soccer champion will be crowned this weekend at the 2013 Ontario University Athletics (OUA) Men’s Soccer Final Four, hosted by Ryerson University. With the reigning two-time champions McMaster Marauders eliminated from the post-season, the title is up for grabs as Ontario’s best converge on Birchmount Stadium.
The action gets under way Saturday morning at 11 a.m. as the Carleton Ravens take on the No. 3 York Lions for the third time in as many years. Carleton has held York’s number, beating them in the past two Final Four tournaments, including a bronze medal defeat in 2011. The Ravens enter as the second seed in the OUA East this season, while the Lions enter as the premier team in the OUA West. Following that game, the No. 2 Ryerson Rams host the feisty Windsor Lancers at 2 p.m. Windsor upset McMaster in the quarter-finals and will need to channel some of the same magic going up against a strong Ryerson squad that is coming off of their first undefeated season and highest national rank ever.
The medals are decided on Sunday as the bronze medal game goes at 11 a.m. with the gold going up for grabs at 2 p.m. In addition to the OUA title, the two teams in the gold medal game automatically earn a berth in the CIS national championships Nov. 7-10 at the University of New Brunswick.
RYERSON RAMS
The Rams are coming off of the best season in school history, having gone 12-0-2 through the regular season, earning the top spot in the OUA East. The soccer program has steadily improved under athletic director – and 2013 coach of the year – Ivan Joseph, but the Rams have really hit their stride in 2013. In addition to the unblemished record, the Rams swept the OUA major awards, became the second ranked team in the CIS and host the Final Four for the first time. The leadership core of the team has Final Four experience, having qualified for the tournament in 2010. They left empty-handed that year, but Joseph predicted a Rams championship within three years. Now, in year three, Ryerson’s chances look as good as ever.
Rams midfielder, and East division MVP, Alex Braletic (Thornhill, Ont.) led the OUA in scoring this season with 13 goals in 12 games. The MVP honour was Braletic’s second, as the talented midfielder won his first in 2009. He’s joined by a deep roster that includes rookie of the year winner Cameron Galea-Andrews (Oakville, Ont.), all-star midfielder Viktor Anastasov (Toronto, Ont.), all-star defender Michael Jan (Mississauga, Ont.) and all-star goalkeeper Christian Maraldo (Mississauga, Ont.). Defender Josh Kohn (Richmond Hill, Ont.) and striker Armin Tankovic (Mississauga, Ont.) both received second-team all-star designations.
In head-to-head competition this season, Ryerson went 1-0-1 against Carleton and did not play York or Windsor.
Last OUA Championship: N/A
No. of championships since 1965: N/A
2013 goal scorers (regular season): Alex Braletic (13), Armin Tankovic (5), Martin Dabrowski (4), Viktor Anastasov (4), Luka Lee (3), Luke Jan (1), Cameron Galea-Andrews (1), Michael Velasquez (1) and Greg Wise (1)
YORK LIONS
The No. 3 Lions locked up the OUA West for the seventh straight season, cruising to a 13-2-1 record. The Lions scored the most goals (53), had the most wins (13) and points (40), although West teams play two more games than their East counterparts. Like Ryerson, they swept the major awards and like Carleton, they were ranked number one during the season. Despite seven strong seasons and two national championships, an OUA title has eluded the Lions since 2007. Last season, they saw an undefeated season slip away after losing to the Carleton Ravens 1-0 in overtime in the semis and in 2011; they lost the bronze medal game to Carleton 2-0. The past can’t be undone, but the Lions welcome the chance to make amends, send Carleton home early and bring the OUA title back to the Lion’s den.
The Lions lost 2012 MVP Adrian Pena to graduation, but rookie midfielder Jonathan Lao claimed the MVP and rookie of the year awards in 2013. Lao was sensational in his rookie season, scoring 11 goals, which tied him for second in league scoring with teammate Mark-Anthony Kaye (Toronto, Ont.). The team is littered with talent and six players received all-star designations including: midfielder Joey Cicchillo (North York, Ont.), defender Casey D’Mello (Mississauga, Ont.) and three-time all-star goalkeeper Sotiri Varlokostas (Toronto, Ont.).
In head-to-head competition this season, the Lions went 2-0-0 against the Windsor Lancers and did not play Ryerson or Carleton.
Last OUA Championship: 2007
No. of championships since 1965: 2
2013 goal scorers (regular season): Mark-Anthony Kaye (11), Jonathan Lao (11), Joseph Cicchillo (8), Dylan Sacramento (4), Benjamin Futoriansky (3), Domenic Gullo (3), Darren Gertiesingh (2), Giancarlo Rella (2), Casey D’Mello (2), Nicolas Mejia (1), Matt Stinson (1), Blake Rich (1), Carlos Nogueira (1), Daniel Fabrizi (1), Tyrone Downes (1)
CARLETON RAVENS
The Carleton Ravens reach the Final Four tournament for the third straight year, after posting an 8-3-3 record in season play finishing second in the division. The Ravens offensive output dropped by 10 goals from last season, but Sandy Mackie’s team tightened up the defence allowing a division low 11 goals. Carleton was ranked No. 1 in the country on Sept. 17, but completely dropped out of the top 10 after two upsets to the Laurentian Voyageurs. They played to a 3-1-1 record down the stretch and finished the season with a No. 9 ranking and quarter-final win over Queen’s. Last season, the Ravens eliminated the York Lions 1-0 in the semifinals before bowing out in the championship game.
Carleton is led by the dynamic duo of Joey Kewin (London, Ont.) and Andrew Latty (Ottawa, Ont.). The pair combined for 17 of Carleton’s 26 goals, with Kewin netting nine and Latty scoring eight. Kewin is a four-time all-star and Latty was named the 2012 MVP after scoring a league-high 17 goals. These are two highly gifted offensive players, both capable of breaking a game wide open. Additionally, defender Julian Piccioli (Ottawa, Ont.) and midfielder Mintcho Mintchev (Ottawa, Ont.) both received all-star nods for their strong play this season.
In head-to-head competition this season, Carleton went 0-1-1 against Ryerson and did not play York or Windsor.
Last OUA Championship: 2005
No. of championships since 1965: 2
2013 goal scorers (regular season): Joey Kewin (9), Andrew Latty (8), Mekonen Lovemore-White (2), Julian Piccioli (2), Aleksandar Cosovic (1), Daud Dahir (1), Theodore Lopez de Castilla (1), and Alexandre De Couvreur (1)
WINDSOR LANCERS
The Windsor Lancers enter the Final Four tournament as a Cinderella team, after finishing 7-3-6 in the regular season and upsetting the McMaster Marauders in the quarter-finals. The Lancers are riding a three-game win streak and finished the season ranked No. 10 in the country, but will be in tough against a very talented Ryerson team. A win over Ryerson gives Windsor a shot at their first OUA title, which hopefully doesn’t involve a matchup with York, who beat Windsor twice this season. The Lancers are a feisty, hard working group anchored by a stingy defence and the other teams should look past them at their own peril.
Second-team all-star Michael Pio (Windsor, Ont.) was the hero against McMaster. He, along with leading scorer Cristian Mayorga (Windsor, Ont.) will be counted on again to provide the offence over the weekend. Goalkeeper Dejo Olagbegi (Windsor, Ont.) may be the most important player for Windsor, as the all-star keeper owned a .900 save percentage and two shutouts this season. If Olagbegi can keep the Lancers in the game, Pio and Mayorga are certainly capable of ending it at the other end.
In head-to-head competition this season, Windsor went 0-2-0 against York and did not play Ryerson or Carleton.
Last OUA Championship: 0
No. of championships since 1965: 0
2013 goal scorers (regular season): Cristian Mayorga (10), Michael Pio (6), Joseph Camaj (2), Patrick Ten Eyck (2), David Salinitri (1), Derrick Amankwa (1), Chris Suta (1), Tony Falkstajn (1), Iyowuna Jumbo (1), Chris Lanni (1), Jack Sargent (1), Leshorn Woods-Henry (1)
Stay tuned to OUA.ca for results and recaps.
The action gets under way Saturday morning at 11 a.m. as the Carleton Ravens take on the No. 3 York Lions for the third time in as many years. Carleton has held York’s number, beating them in the past two Final Four tournaments, including a bronze medal defeat in 2011. The Ravens enter as the second seed in the OUA East this season, while the Lions enter as the premier team in the OUA West. Following that game, the No. 2 Ryerson Rams host the feisty Windsor Lancers at 2 p.m. Windsor upset McMaster in the quarter-finals and will need to channel some of the same magic going up against a strong Ryerson squad that is coming off of their first undefeated season and highest national rank ever.
The medals are decided on Sunday as the bronze medal game goes at 11 a.m. with the gold going up for grabs at 2 p.m. In addition to the OUA title, the two teams in the gold medal game automatically earn a berth in the CIS national championships Nov. 7-10 at the University of New Brunswick.
RYERSON RAMS
The Rams are coming off of the best season in school history, having gone 12-0-2 through the regular season, earning the top spot in the OUA East. The soccer program has steadily improved under athletic director – and 2013 coach of the year – Ivan Joseph, but the Rams have really hit their stride in 2013. In addition to the unblemished record, the Rams swept the OUA major awards, became the second ranked team in the CIS and host the Final Four for the first time. The leadership core of the team has Final Four experience, having qualified for the tournament in 2010. They left empty-handed that year, but Joseph predicted a Rams championship within three years. Now, in year three, Ryerson’s chances look as good as ever.
Rams midfielder, and East division MVP, Alex Braletic (Thornhill, Ont.) led the OUA in scoring this season with 13 goals in 12 games. The MVP honour was Braletic’s second, as the talented midfielder won his first in 2009. He’s joined by a deep roster that includes rookie of the year winner Cameron Galea-Andrews (Oakville, Ont.), all-star midfielder Viktor Anastasov (Toronto, Ont.), all-star defender Michael Jan (Mississauga, Ont.) and all-star goalkeeper Christian Maraldo (Mississauga, Ont.). Defender Josh Kohn (Richmond Hill, Ont.) and striker Armin Tankovic (Mississauga, Ont.) both received second-team all-star designations.
In head-to-head competition this season, Ryerson went 1-0-1 against Carleton and did not play York or Windsor.
Last OUA Championship: N/A
No. of championships since 1965: N/A
2013 goal scorers (regular season): Alex Braletic (13), Armin Tankovic (5), Martin Dabrowski (4), Viktor Anastasov (4), Luka Lee (3), Luke Jan (1), Cameron Galea-Andrews (1), Michael Velasquez (1) and Greg Wise (1)
YORK LIONS
The No. 3 Lions locked up the OUA West for the seventh straight season, cruising to a 13-2-1 record. The Lions scored the most goals (53), had the most wins (13) and points (40), although West teams play two more games than their East counterparts. Like Ryerson, they swept the major awards and like Carleton, they were ranked number one during the season. Despite seven strong seasons and two national championships, an OUA title has eluded the Lions since 2007. Last season, they saw an undefeated season slip away after losing to the Carleton Ravens 1-0 in overtime in the semis and in 2011; they lost the bronze medal game to Carleton 2-0. The past can’t be undone, but the Lions welcome the chance to make amends, send Carleton home early and bring the OUA title back to the Lion’s den.
The Lions lost 2012 MVP Adrian Pena to graduation, but rookie midfielder Jonathan Lao claimed the MVP and rookie of the year awards in 2013. Lao was sensational in his rookie season, scoring 11 goals, which tied him for second in league scoring with teammate Mark-Anthony Kaye (Toronto, Ont.). The team is littered with talent and six players received all-star designations including: midfielder Joey Cicchillo (North York, Ont.), defender Casey D’Mello (Mississauga, Ont.) and three-time all-star goalkeeper Sotiri Varlokostas (Toronto, Ont.).
In head-to-head competition this season, the Lions went 2-0-0 against the Windsor Lancers and did not play Ryerson or Carleton.
Last OUA Championship: 2007
No. of championships since 1965: 2
2013 goal scorers (regular season): Mark-Anthony Kaye (11), Jonathan Lao (11), Joseph Cicchillo (8), Dylan Sacramento (4), Benjamin Futoriansky (3), Domenic Gullo (3), Darren Gertiesingh (2), Giancarlo Rella (2), Casey D’Mello (2), Nicolas Mejia (1), Matt Stinson (1), Blake Rich (1), Carlos Nogueira (1), Daniel Fabrizi (1), Tyrone Downes (1)
CARLETON RAVENS
The Carleton Ravens reach the Final Four tournament for the third straight year, after posting an 8-3-3 record in season play finishing second in the division. The Ravens offensive output dropped by 10 goals from last season, but Sandy Mackie’s team tightened up the defence allowing a division low 11 goals. Carleton was ranked No. 1 in the country on Sept. 17, but completely dropped out of the top 10 after two upsets to the Laurentian Voyageurs. They played to a 3-1-1 record down the stretch and finished the season with a No. 9 ranking and quarter-final win over Queen’s. Last season, the Ravens eliminated the York Lions 1-0 in the semifinals before bowing out in the championship game.
Carleton is led by the dynamic duo of Joey Kewin (London, Ont.) and Andrew Latty (Ottawa, Ont.). The pair combined for 17 of Carleton’s 26 goals, with Kewin netting nine and Latty scoring eight. Kewin is a four-time all-star and Latty was named the 2012 MVP after scoring a league-high 17 goals. These are two highly gifted offensive players, both capable of breaking a game wide open. Additionally, defender Julian Piccioli (Ottawa, Ont.) and midfielder Mintcho Mintchev (Ottawa, Ont.) both received all-star nods for their strong play this season.
In head-to-head competition this season, Carleton went 0-1-1 against Ryerson and did not play York or Windsor.
Last OUA Championship: 2005
No. of championships since 1965: 2
2013 goal scorers (regular season): Joey Kewin (9), Andrew Latty (8), Mekonen Lovemore-White (2), Julian Piccioli (2), Aleksandar Cosovic (1), Daud Dahir (1), Theodore Lopez de Castilla (1), and Alexandre De Couvreur (1)
WINDSOR LANCERS
The Windsor Lancers enter the Final Four tournament as a Cinderella team, after finishing 7-3-6 in the regular season and upsetting the McMaster Marauders in the quarter-finals. The Lancers are riding a three-game win streak and finished the season ranked No. 10 in the country, but will be in tough against a very talented Ryerson team. A win over Ryerson gives Windsor a shot at their first OUA title, which hopefully doesn’t involve a matchup with York, who beat Windsor twice this season. The Lancers are a feisty, hard working group anchored by a stingy defence and the other teams should look past them at their own peril.
Second-team all-star Michael Pio (Windsor, Ont.) was the hero against McMaster. He, along with leading scorer Cristian Mayorga (Windsor, Ont.) will be counted on again to provide the offence over the weekend. Goalkeeper Dejo Olagbegi (Windsor, Ont.) may be the most important player for Windsor, as the all-star keeper owned a .900 save percentage and two shutouts this season. If Olagbegi can keep the Lancers in the game, Pio and Mayorga are certainly capable of ending it at the other end.
In head-to-head competition this season, Windsor went 0-2-0 against York and did not play Ryerson or Carleton.
Last OUA Championship: 0
No. of championships since 1965: 0
2013 goal scorers (regular season): Cristian Mayorga (10), Michael Pio (6), Joseph Camaj (2), Patrick Ten Eyck (2), David Salinitri (1), Derrick Amankwa (1), Chris Suta (1), Tony Falkstajn (1), Iyowuna Jumbo (1), Chris Lanni (1), Jack Sargent (1), Leshorn Woods-Henry (1)
Stay tuned to OUA.ca for results and recaps.
