Banner Season: Blues look to produce program’s first title in finale against Guelph

Burlington, Ont. – The Toronto Varsity Blues and Guelph Gryphons have already pushed past some powerhouse programs as part of their quest for the cup, and with one big test left in front of them when they line up for the 2025 Ontario University Athletics (OUA) Women’s Soccer Championship, both will need to take down another titan to claim that coveted triumph on the pitch.  

2025 OUA Women’s Soccer Championship Details

While both teams have conquered their fair share of stout tests this season, it has been tough for either program to secure the conference crown over the years, combining for just one OUA banner to this point. It was the Gryphons who accomplished that elusive feat back in 2017, but whether it is Guelph getting a second title or Toronto taking home their first on home turf, the taste of victory will be equally sweet.

Anchoring both teams’ aspirations are this year’s most valuable players – Guelph’s Olivia Rizakos and Toronto’s Hannah Chown.

The former has been one of the top goal-scorers in the OUA this season, finishing second in the conference with 11 tallies, while leading with her nine assists. That 20-point total was also good for top marks in the OUA, and that lofty production comes as no surprise given the psychology major from Toronto has registered at least a point in 12 of Guelph’s 14 games this year (regular season and postseason).

Her player of the year counterpart, meanwhile, has been equally impressive, albeit in the role of defender for the Varsity Blues. So while Rizakos has been adept at putting the ball in the net, Chown has stood tall as the primary centreback in a veteran-laden defensive group.

Backed by the East Division MVP’s work on the back line, the Blues managed a total of seven clean sheets across their nine regular season wins, and has cemented them as one of the toughest defensive groups in the conference.  

“We have a lot of experience and we are able to stay composed, so I think that has allowed us to be really successful this season as a defensive team,” said second team all-star Bryanna Campbell. “We are good at fighting throughout the entire game, into the 90th minute and event past it. It just makes me so proud of this team and we are just going to continue doing what we have been doing.”

It isn’t just on the back end that the Blues shine; however, as fellow Blues standout Anne Yeomans has been yet another bright spot for the championship hosts. The dynamic striker utilizes her exceptional speed to outrace opposing defences and find scoring opportunities for her side. Her seven goals led the team and ranked sixth in the OUA this year, while also bringing her career mark to the 20-goal plateau.

While Toronto maintained their strong defensive presence into the postseason, they turned to a pair of sophomores to ultimately secure their respective 1-0 wins. Emilija Lucic provided the Blues’ lone quarterfinal goal against three-time defending champion Ottawa, while fellow second-year Ines Delhomelle netted the winner in the semifinal victory against Western.

Guelph also needed a 1-0 win to secure their spot in the semifinals, with Rizakos doing the honours therein against Laurier, but the Gryphons offence took it up a notch in the semifinals in a 4-0 win over Queen’s.

One of those markers came from Elise Bell, another of Guelph’s 2025 all-star contingent, adding to what has been an already impressive campaign. What makes the talented midfielder’s season even more noteworthy is that she was transitioning from defence to midfield, and after picking up all-star and all-Canadian nods as a sophomore in the former, she didn’t miss a step amidst the change. Before her postseason tally, she also added two goals and two assists during the regular season.

And it was during the regular season that Guelph secured their status as one of the most balanced teams in the conference, finishing top-five in both goals against (10) and goals scored (31). While the former matched the Blues’ defensive efforts, the latter put them eight ahead of their championship foes, which will put that veteran Toronto roster to the test on their home turf.

Certainly, success hasn’t been hard to come by this season for either side, but only one can take home the win in the season’s final contest, and regardless of which team ultimately prevails, it will be a banner day on the pitch.