Gee-Gees, Gaels to close out regular season with top-10 clash
Ottawa – They have been two of the strongest teams in the country this season, so what better way for the pair to wrap up their successful regular seasons than with a head-to-head matchup prior to playoffs? The No. 10 Queen’s Gaels and No. 3 Ottawa Gee-Gees will do just that in this weekend’s OUA Marque Matchup, powered by Planters.
Ranking as the top two teams in the OUA’s East Division, the Gee-Gees and Gaels will both be looking for similarly strong finishes before turning the page to the postseason. No team is hotter right now, however, than the former, as Ottawa has reeled off six straight wins heading into the regular season’s final weekend.
The match that started their current streak – the second such stretch for the Gee-Gees this season after reeling off six straight wins from August 26 to September 15 – was their only previous meeting with the Gaels this year. A late first-half goal from Katherine Bearne (Halifax, N.S.) got the Gee-Gees off and running in that matchup and a tally from Thea Abdul Nour (Ottawa, Ont.) in the 74th minute sealed the 2-0 win, which was the latest in a dominant stretch from Ottawa in this head-to-head matchup.
Queen’s hasn’t earned a win against the Garnet and Grey since the 2011-2012 season, but while they are still seeking that elusive win and were held off the scoreboard in their latest matchup, they have had no trouble scoring as a whole this season. Recording the second-highest total thus far (34), the Gaels have peppered the opposition with nearly 13 shots per contest and have recorded a top-ranked shot percentage of .189. It comes as no surprise, therefore, that at the heart of the Queen’s lineup is the conference’s leading scorer, Jenny Wolever (Toronto, Ont.).
The recent OUA Athlete of the Week has notched 13 goals and five assists for the year and has been an offensive sparkplug for Queen’s during their 2018 campaign. Her 18 points have her tied for the OUA lead, and she’ll be going toe-to-toe with her fellow first place point-getter on Sunday.
Like Wolever, Emma Lefebvre (Kingston, Ont.) has buoyed the Ottawa attack this season with her 18 points (11 goals, seven assists) and has paced the team’s league-leading total of 39 goals. With 31 shots on goal, Lefebvre is also among the leaders in getting the ball on net and has consistently wreaked havoc on the opposition with her resilient pressure.
Neither of these top producers does it alone; however, as another pair of top-ten scorers serve as running mates on the talented rosters. Alongside Lefebvre is fellow forward Mikayla Morton (Courtice, Ont.), who ranks fourth in scoring on the year, while Christie Gray (Vancouver, B.C.) rounds out the Gaels’ most productive pair and checks in tied for seventh in conference scoring. These dynamic duos will be on the attack once again come Sunday, forcing both sides to be on their toes in the defensive end.
As much as the offence should be a big factor, both squads do offer that defensive prowess as well. They are two of just eight teams that have given up fewer than one goal per game. Ottawa’s 0.54 GAA is anchored largely be the play of goalkeeper Margot Shore (Ottawa, Ont.), who has a solid .824 SV% and two shutouts. She doesn’t do it alone, however, as a pair of 2017 all-stars – Kayla Da Costa-Pacheco (Gatineau, Que.) and Cooper Lee (Toronto, Ont.) – stand tall in front of her.
Queen’s, meanwhile, has largely been carried by second-year keeper Anna Stephenson (Vancouver, B.C.), who has posted three clean sheets in her six wins. Also helping to shore up the defensive play for Queen’s, who surrender just 0.86 goals per game, is midfielder Lidia Bradau (Woodbridge, Ont.), with the 2017 all-star proving to once again be a difference-maker against the opposition’s attack.
There is no shortage of talent from the net out and with the postseason just on the horizon, every member of the team will be aiming to wrap things up on a high note before banner season gets underway. With that in mind, this will be a must-see match between two of Canada’s best, and it will all take place on Sunday, October 21 (1:00pm) at Gee-Gees Field.
