Western, Nipissing look to finish solid seasons with a strong final weekend
Toronto, Ont. (via Ben Steiner) – The final weekend of OUA men’s soccer is upon us.
With dramatic upsets, like No. 46 Algoma’s toppling of then-No. 4 ranked York, and breakout years across the conference, it’s all coming down to a final weekend. While each of the 12 playoff teams have already been confirmed, seeding and first-round byes are up for grabs, with some enticing matchups dotting the schedule.
Here’s what to look for this week on the men’s side.
Western Mustangs look for a roaring upset
Things have gone well for the Western Mustangs this season, and a top-spot finish in the OUA West is well within their sights. However, they must navigate a complicated final weekend against the division-leading York Lions and the playoff-bound Guelph Gryphons.
York and Western are the only two teams in the division with two matches remaining, and both could clinch top-two byes through the first round this weekend. The McMaster Marauders currently hold the second spot but only play one game.
Making things challenging for the Mustangs, though, is that Friday night clash with the Lions. York will want to win and give themselves a shot at a 29-point season, while Western is chasing and seeking a first-round bye. The York win would likely give them a home advantage through the entire playoffs as well.
To say things are going to be dramatic would be an understatement. There’s seldom a more important or consequential regular season game than what will kick off the final weekend at 8:15 pm ET at York Lions Stadium.
Things have gone well for the London-based side in recent weeks. After three winless games against McMaster and the Waterloo Warriors, they rallied off victories against the Windsor Lancers and Laurier Golden Hawks, setting them up for the high-pressure finish.
Led by Luc Coulombe’s five goals up front, the Mustangs are a balanced team, scoring 17 goals and conceding just eight in 10 games, with Dino Bontis posting 18 saves this season.
Against the Lions, Western will see a similar team, though. York has conceded just eight goals, a conference-low, while starting goalkeeper Alessio Carbone has posted similar numbers. Critically, the Mustangs will also have to shut down attacking midfielder Christian Zeppieri, whose 29 shots and ten assists rank him top-three in the OUA in each category.
It’s bound to be a fun weekend for Western soccer, and if it isn’t, well... it’ll be fun for York, or maybe McMaster. Either way, a little bit of end-of-season drama is in the cards.
Nipissing looking to finish off strong in record season
The Nipissing Lakers have already made program history this season, hitting the 20-point mark for the first time. Still, they’ve got an opportunity to continue their stellar story through the final weekend with a real shot at a top-two bye in the OUA East.
Sitting on 20 points, tied with the defending OUA champion Carleton Ravens, the Lakers take on the final two matches of their campaign with visits to the first-place Toronto Varsity Blues and second-place TMU Bold.
While toppling two teams above them will be challenging, finding a win in both games would allow them to hop over at least one. Depending on what the Ravens do against Trent Excalibur and Ontario Tech, they could even take the top spot in the OUA East.
Just a year ago, Nipissing saw their season end with a 3-0 defeat to the Bold. Now, they have a chance to clinch a playoff return and potentially put themselves atop the division with their eyes on a playoff win for the first time in two years.
First-year striker Caelan Walraven has been a welcome addition to head coach Tony D’Agostino’s group. He leads the team with six goals and often links up with Olutosin Ajakaiye, who has five goals and four assists.
In addition to the attacking talent, the Lakers have conceded 13 goals, eighth best in the conference but only one more than the Bold, the main team sitting between them and a first-round bye.
History has already been made in North Bay -- now there’s a chance to make some more and set up a brilliant finish.
